mrgabehernandez Comic Reviews

Giant-Size X-Men #1 is exactly the mess you would expect from Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, but more. Kamala Khan travels through time without rhyme or reason, instantly joins the X-Men without anyone asking why, and charges off to stop Legion from attacking Krakoa. And this is the moment Marvel picks to unveil Kamala's mutant powers. It's one thing to suspect this comic would be bad. It's another to realize you were wrong. It's worse.

Werewolf By Night #4 wraps up the arc, possibly the series, by beating the bad guy, saving the innocents, and letting the villain escape to fight another day. If Marvel wants to continue this series, they've got a lot of rework to do.

NYX #1 starts a Ms. Marvel-centric book when Kamala Khan goes back to ESU and makes more than one mutant friend along the way. On paper, this series sounds like a perfect pitch to appeal to the YA crowd, but the nonsensical script is riddled with introductions that come out of nowhere, plot holes galore, heavy-handed social lecturing, and a villain reveal that's about as enthralling as reading the obituaries. Plus, the art team follows the rule of "make it look pretty, forget about making sense.

NYX #2 delivers a Luara Kinney-centric issue when she tracks down a masked gang "helping young mutants off the streets and into a safe space. Unfortunately, Lanzing and Kelly's script execution is riddled with poor transitions, characters that pop in and out from literally nowhere, and a jaw-droppingly bizarre ending. If it wasn't for the decent art by Francesco Mortarino, this comic would be a total loss.

Spider-Punk #1 is a bizarre comic that mixes all the worst stereotypes about Leftist activists into a story about Spider pals fighting the evils of Gentrification and Capitalism. If this is a parody, it's cleverly disguised parody. If it's not, this comic practically dares you to make fun of it for the level of obnoxiousness it reaches.

Spider-Punk #2 is a terrible comic, but it's at least a better comic than issue #1. The action scenes are ridiculous, the big reveal surrounding the mystery of the Spider-Band's land is given without any build-up, ceremony, or sense, and the dialog is painfully bad. Still, if issue #2 is better than issue #1, there's hope for the series to trend upward.

Spider-Punk #3 sends the Spider-Band on a side trip (literally) to Philadelphia when the Spider-Van is attacked by the Marauders, resulting in a story that's wholly absent of creativity, style, charm, humor, or imagination. The serviceable art gets the job done, but there's nothing punk about this comic in either the writing or the art.

Spider-Punk #4 gives up on any attempts to be punk, edgy, or interesting by shifting into an all-out propaganda piece equating Norman Osborn as a fascist, racist despot with a former U.S President. The writing is poor on every level except the pacing, and the only punk thing about this title is the grungy, underground art style, but just barely.

Spider-Punk #5 finishes the run as well as could be expected with possibly the strongest issue in the series. The issue-long battle is engaging, and the epilogue ends on a hopeful note. It's not a very good comic, but it's a high point compared to every issue that came before it.

The Will Of Doom #1 does not earn a place in a limited budget, especially with its inflated price tag. If you are desperate to know exactly where Ross is going or what Val is planning, you can probably just read a wiki summary later. Save your money for a book that offers a complete experience rather than just a preamble to an event you might not even want to read.

Unbreakable X-Men #1 takes cosmic stakes and mutant drama, tosses them into a blender set to puree, and serves confusion in a decorative glass. Even Wernecks art cant mask the disorientation and lack of world-building. If youre looking for epic mutant mythmaking, consider this an object lesson in how not to write the X-Men. Next time, lets hope someone finds the plot, develops a character, and gives Galactus an actual reason to show up before sending him to the cosmic curb.

White Widow #1 is a disappointing miss. At the heart of the story is an intriguing mystery, but Sarah Gailey's characterization of Yelena Balova is so bizarrely wrong and off-putting that you can't get into the plot. It's clear from this issue that Gailey's interpretation of White Widow is a "silly, cutesy assassin who can't relate to people." That's a rookie mistake Marvel should have nipped in the bud.

White Widow #2 takes everything you dislike about the MCU Phase 4 and cranks it up to 11 with terrible "I don't know how to speak human" humor, a conflict that doesn't fit the world, and an antagonist that doesn't make sense. If you're pinching your pennies, this is the comic to skip.

White Widow #3 is, to be blunt, a stupid comic. None of the characters' actions, dialog, or thoughts appear to come from a person with a functioning brain, the plot is a convoluted mess, and Gailey is trying very hard to mimic MCU Phase 4 humor in a satire about corporate greed and healthcare. This comic is a waste of your time and lessens the titular character.

Dark Web: Ms. Marvel #1 is a lot of pointless fluff and nonsense that contributes absolutely nothing to the Dark Web event. The issue is primarily random, slice-of-life events that don't grow Kamala Khan's character or elevate Ms. Marvel as a hero. The one scene that ties this comic to the plot of Dark Web was already shown in Dark Web #1, so this book is a waste of time and money.

Dark Web: Ms. Marvel #2 is an embarrassing misstep in an increasing number of embarrassing missteps for the Dark Web event. The plot is a random collection of events strung together, there's nothing in this issue contributing to the Dark Web event as a tie-in, so there really isn't much reason to read it.

Iron Man #1 is a frustrating, annoying, utterly off-putting first issue. New Marvel writer Spencer Ackerman puts Tony Stark through the wringer by making a series of boneheaded mistakes and inconsistent decisions that don't remotely align with Tony's character. This issue isn't an Iron Man comic. It's a comic starring Spencer Ackerman wearing Iron Man skin, and it's not going to move the needle one bit.

Iron Man #2 continues the downward spiral of Tony Stark and readers' hopes of getting a good Iron Man story when Spencer Ackerman makes Tony and everyone around him make the worst decisions possible. If you have to make everyone an idiot to get your plot to work, I've got bad news for you. On a brighter note, the pseudo-steampunk suit is starting to grow on me.

1776 #1 is a comic that offers an ambitious blend of historical events and superhero action, but it falls short in terms of character development and clarity. The fast-paced writing and detailed art keep the reader engaged, but the rushed pacing and exposition-heavy dialogue can be overwhelming. Whether this comic earns a place in a limited comic budget depends on how much you value ambitious concepts over clear storytelling and character depth.

1776 #2 is a case study in what happens when a writer prioritizes historical accuracy over narrative momentum. The Avengers versus a sorceress in the Revolutionary War had real potential, but this issue buries that conflict under tedious exposition and battles it out with inconsistent artwork that can't support even the modest ambitions it achieves.

Captain America: Cold War #1 is a lackluster start to a lackluster event that continues the storyline from the lackluster Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty series. The Outer Circle's motivations remain a mystery, the team-up between Bucky and White Wolf doesn't have a clear point, and the art is a mixed bag.

However good or bad you thought the Cold War "event finale was going to be, you're wrong. Captain America: Cold War Omega #1 is an absolute trainwreck with fantastic art encumbered by a nonsensical, convoluted, boneheaded conclusion. Save your money.

Giant-Size Hulk #1 gives readers a new story hair-thin plot that just gives Hulk an excuse to smash yet another forgettable monster. The second half is a reprint of a much better Hulk story. If all you want in a Giant-Size Hulk comic is mindless smashing and nostalgia bait, get this comic. For everyone else, skip it. Points were reduced for the shameless cash grab.

Hulk: Smash Everything #1 is a competent art showcase built on an incompetent story foundation. The issue proves that beautiful visuals cannot carry a comic when the narrative demands basic logic and fails to deliver it. The plot contradicts established worldbuilding, the characters lack personality or stakes worth investing in, and the dialogue wooden and artificial. For four dollars and ninety-nine cents, readers receive twenty pages of pretty pictures propped up by a scheme so flimsy that even casual viewers will spot the holes. If you're specifically seeking a comic to admire for its artwork alone, this delivers. If you expect storytelling that respects the reader's intelligence, keep your money.

The Sensational She-Hulk #1 continues the exact same story with the exact same creative team from the previously canceled run to deliver a directionless, unfunny, slice-of-life comic. If you liked the previous arc, this is more of the same. Points were deducted for Marvel's shameless renumbering scheme.

Sensational She-Hulk #2 leans so hard into the slice-of-life model that there's nothing in this issue resembling a plot, direction, message, or point. You'll probably get more entertainment and less strain on your wallet by going to the mall and watching people walk by.

Spider-Man Noir #1 looks like rainy-day perfection and throws punches with vintage flair, but the script cant decide if its after Oscar Wilde or Raymond Chandler. The result? A detective story where the action dazzles, the mood is top-notch, but the protagonists quirkiness and shoehorned Nazi lecture rob it of true noir grit. Next time, heres hoping Spider-Man Noir broods, not jokes, and that villains are organic parts of the mystery rather than propaganda on bat-wings.

Spider-Man Noir #2 tries to serve up a hard-boiled mystery, a love story, and a history lesson, but the ingredients never gel. Art punches above its weight, draping misfires in moody charm, yet the botched script and clumsy messaging make this issue a poor investment of time for anyone seeking genuine suspense or sharp wit. If your comic budget is tight, keep moving. There are better stories lurking down the alley.

The End 2099 #1 is a comic book version of a loading screen, dumping plot mechanics on the reader in hopes they will be sufficiently intrigued to return next month. The issue assumes you already care about the stakes before giving you any reason to. Spider-Man is right to object; the heroes should have done the same. Invest your four dollars and ninety-nine cents elsewhere, or at least wait for issue two before committing. This first installment proves that Marvel can construct a complicated scenario; it has yet to prove that anyone will want to read about it.

Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion #1 is a clunky, lazy, poorly conceived issue designed to get Miles into the Ultimate Universe. Deniz Camp and Cody Ziglar capture an amusing bit of charm in the interactions between Miles, Peter, and Richard, but the plot is a mess. The next issue may get better, but it's a skip for now.

Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion #2 unfortunately fails to deliver on the potential of its first issue. The sluggish pacing, uninspired dialogue, and underdeveloped character moments make for a rather forgettable read. While there are glimmers of potential in the overarching narrative, this issue gets lost in its own slow burn.

Weapon X-Men #1 is a confusing, convoluted mess of a comic designed to force a group of heroes together. Joe Casey's script is all over the place (figuratively and literally), but the art is at least pretty darn good.

Dazzler #1 is an embarrassment of riches for people who like the idea of Marvel superhero comics but don't actually read Marvel comics. Jason Loo's script is a mind-boggling array of social activist talking points, non-sensical character representation, and painfully tone-deaf plot developments. But at the very least, the art is pretty good. If you read Marvel superhero comics because you like Marvel superhero stories, avoid this issue at all costs.

Dazzler #2 is a significant improvement over issue #1, mainly for being significantly less tone-deaf and offensive. Jason Loo's script sets up a mildly interesting mystery, and Rafael Loureiro's art looks great. Dazzler #2 won't be anyone's pick of the week, but it should earn an award for most improved.

Dazzler #3 takes a considerable step back from issue #2 when Dazzler and Lila take an ill-advised field trip to the worst city in the world if you're trying to go unnoticed. Jason Loo lost the plot (literally) with an issue that's inconsistent with the previous issue and depicts Dazzler making one bad choice after another. If nothing else, the art is very good.

Final Thoughts:X-Terminators #1 has bold art and kinetic action, but the plot makes no sense, and the heroes are written in the same voice as screechy, delinquent middle schoolers.

X-Terminators #2 is a loud, obnoxious, contrived, pointless mess. The characters' voices don't sound anything like they should, and worse, they all sound like each other. The plot is a series of random happenings, but at least the art's good.

X-Terminators #3 defies expectations. It's a comic that's nothing but noise, nonsense, and nattering in the middle of big action. There are no stakes, there's no dramatic tension, and the characters' voices all sound the same. Thankfully (or not), nobody seems to care, so if you want to spend the full cover price for a goof of a comic, this one may just be for you.

X-Bimbos #4 ends the main conflict with one more issue to go next month. The story is pure nonsense, the character work is awful, and the gorgeous art is wasted here.

X-Terminators #5 finally ends the X-Office experiment, and in honesty, it ends the arc better than it started. The character work, dialog, and premise are still wildly mishandled, but at least this issue isn't blatantly offensive, so that's something.

X-Factor #1 attempts to look at the satirical side of e-celebrities and viral fame when an unscrupulous producer hires mutants to form a new X-Factor with disastrous results. Bob Quinn's art is immaculate, and Mark Russell is brave enough to show mutants with starkly different points of view about life after Krakoa. That said, the satirical elements and plot fall painfully flat, and the issue ends with a bait-and-switch that's just plain tiresome.

X-Factor #2 is so very, very tiresome. Mark Russell can't decide if this series is supposed to be witty satire or serious drama, a superhero comic or a deep treatise on the "human condition, a tragic love story or a slapstick comedy. With little action or purposeful direction, this comic doesn't know what it wants to be or why it exists other than to fill shelf space.

X-Factor #3 is another painfully unfunny issue in a painfully unfunny series. Mark Russell's clumsy dig, equating Elon Musk with destructive tech bros and Nazis, is as subtle as a brick to the face, and the plot only works if everyone in the script, including X-Factor, are idiots. The saving grace of this issue is Bob Quinn's immaculate art.

X-Factor #4 is a nonsensical one-and-done mission that keeps the team busy doing nothing important as an excuse to have Cecilia make up with her ex-boyfriend. Mark Russell's brand of satirical humor is blessedly absent through most of the issue, but the mission and execution are just plain dumb.

Astonishing Iceman #1 is an Iceman comic in name only when the Iceman you think you get is not the Iceman you really get, and when you learn who the Iceman you get really is, the less you want that Iceman to be what he really is. It's weird, it's creepy, it's gross, it's probably not suitable for kids, and it's completely unnecessary.

Astonishing Iceman #2 is a bargain basic issue that's formulaic, missing any drama or tension, and serves only to show you Bobby Drake is great and loves his boyfriend. When you factor in that Iceman is technically not alive, the issue takes on a perverse tone with only Vincenzo Carrat's art to make it worth the effort to read.

Astonishing Iceman #3 bizarrely recycles the identical plot from the first two issues to pit Iceman against an Orchis thug in a bid to find Iceman's hiding place. The art is great, and the Iceman construct is likable enough (Is he really alive?), but the plot is egregiously stuck on rinse & repeat.

Astonishing Iceman #4 nearly repeats the same plot from the first three issues but throws in a final twist to give the illusion that Steve Orlando had more story than a one-shot in mind. The action is fun, and the last-page twist at least moves the story in a new direction, but the issue is largely a waste of time and money.

Astonishing Iceman #5 ends as well as could be expected with energetic fights, an explosive end to the conflict, and a baffling new status quo for Iceman. It seems odd that Orlando would choose to grant Iceman a new power that mirrors one of the chief problems of the Krakoan era, but at least it's over.

Cyclops #1 commits the cardinal sin of first issues by spending twenty pages setting up a premise it barely begins to deliver. The survival thriller advertised on the cover and teased in promotional materials exists almost entirely in potential rather than execution, with the actual "Cyclops hunted while blind" scenario occupying perhaps three pages of a standard-length comic. The concept has legs, the execution of this debut chapter is fatally unfocused, front-loading exposition when it should be delivering tension and excitement.

Marvel/DC: Deadpool/Batman #1 is a disappointing miss. When you team up the most popular characters from both publishers, you should rightly expect action, adventure, and excitement on top of the novelty. Instead, you get half-baked concepts and half-finished art. It's clear, at least on the Marvel side of this venture, the maximum cover price was matched with minimal creative effort.

Fantastic Four #1 is a confusing misstep for Marvel, showcasing a puzzling disconnect in its creative and editorial strategies. While individual elements like the art are strong, the glaring inconsistencies and the seemingly arbitrary re-numbering undermine any potential for a compelling fresh start. Its a comic that leaves you with a distinct feeling of disappointment, like being promised a grand adventure but getting a slightly recycled theme park ride instead.

Fantastic Four #2 struggles to find its footing, relying on convenient plot devices rather than genuine character development or intricate problem-solving. While the art remains a strong point, the narrative choices, particularly regarding Reed Richards's competence and the swift resolution of seemingly insurmountable challenges, leave much to be desired. It feels less like a Fantastic Four adventure and more like a series of plot points designed to get the team back together, regardless of logical consistency.

Generation X-23 #1 issue squanders solid action and art on stiff talk, tonal whiplash, and plot gaps like Gabby’s bush ambush. Instead you get out-of-nowhere new mutant introductions, landing without a gripping hook. It fails to ignite fun or excitement, undeserving a slot in your tight stack of reads.

Hellverine #1 is a bland, forgettable start to a series about a character who's a derivative of a derivative of a derivative. Benjamin Percy spends two-thirds of the issue on a montage of Hellverine's origin and the last third in conversation with Dr. Strange. Readers looking for bang for their buck should look elsewhere.

For those with taste buds tuned to cosmic horror and mythic guts, The Infernal Hulk #1 is worth a glance. If you're counting on Hulk, Banner, or any recognizable Marvel heroics, consider this issue a ruse: the only smashing you'll get is your expectations, not much more.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24 mixes great, beautiful art with a story that suggests C.R.A.D.L.E. should have stuck around longer to finish what they started. This is a skip.

Mystique #1 is a bland, convoluted affair that finds the shapeshifting mutant engaging in spycraft and murder for top-secret information. Declan Shalvey's tale won't move the needle in any direction, so you'll have forgotten this comic exists before you turn the last page.

Psylocke: Ninja #1 is the kind of issue that will satisfy continuity hounds who want every corner of Betsy Braddock's history pinned down, but everyone else will feel the weight of the captions long before the last page. The core idea, that a bad choice with the Siege Perilous leads straight into a morally rotten deal with the Hand and puts Betsy's mind on a collision course with Elektra, is solid but smothered in explanation. If your comic stack is tight and you are choosing between fresh stories and deep cut origin repair jobs, this one only really earns a slot if you are a devoted Psylocke or Hand fan.

Sentinels #1 is one of the more unique comics to come out of the From The Ashes era of X-Titles, but it just doesn't need to exist. The characters aren't compelling, the motivations and stakes behind the team's missions aren't clear, and the art is below average for a Marvel comic. Drama, for its own sake, isn't good enough..

Final ThoughtsThe Thing #1 is an amusing trip back to the simpler days of the Fantastic Four with an adventure focused on the blue-eyed Thing. The art is great and the writing perfectly captures the character voice of the titular hero. That said, the plot is a jumbled, chaotic mess with events happening at random without reason or explanation.

The Thing #2 is like a bizarre fever dream from the deep recesses of a deranged child's mind. It's either so esoteric that it escapes the comprehension of the average mortal, or it's a work of pure chaotic insanity. I beg you to read it simply to marvel (no pun intended) at it with your own eyes.

The Thing #3 forces readers to ask one question over and over again " Why? Why are things happening randomly? Why would the creators believe readers want to know about Ben Grimm's sex life? Why are police showing up instantly to harass our hero when that never happens in real life or any part of the Marvel universe? Why is Reilly's great art put in this book? Why does this series exist? Why?

Bits and PiecesThe Thing #4 challenges your notions of what a comic can be by haphazardly stringing together a random collection of cameos, scenes, and dialog without any sense of flow or structure. This issue is the equivalent of a scrapbook assembled from unrelated magazine clippings. If Mosley manages to stick the landing… any landing… it will be a major miracle.

Final ThoughtsThere are no words to adequately capture the tomfoolery going on in The Thing #5. You get a lot of answers to mysterious things happening up to this point, but the answers are more bizarre than you could have guessed. This comic makes about as much sense as a shark attack in an ocean made of cotton candy on the planet Venus. Read at your own peril.

The Thing #6 takes all the nonsense and insanity of the previous five issues and surprisingly wraps it all up in a relatively neat package. The neatness of the conclusion doesn't excuse the awful dialog, the convenient plot contrivances, or the slightly downgraded art, but at least it's done.

Ultimate Endgame #1 is a comic that mistakes ambition for execution. The premise of coordinating a global uprising while the Maker returns has real potential, and the personal stakes for Spider-Man land emotionally. But the issue squanders its biggest moment by delivering a cryptic, confusing non-answer when readers needed clarity and impact. The rushed artwork from the Dodsons underscores the feeling of a comic that didn't have time to breathe or think.

Ultimate Endgame #2 reads like an ambitious middle chapter that talks a big game about time, war, and inevitability, but spends your money delivering atmosphere instead of advancement. If your budget can only handle event books that move the plot in clear, satisfying strides, this issue does not make a strong case for itself, since it mostly rearranges the same problems with extra garnish. The sci fi ideas and a few visual flourishes might justify a read for die hard Ultimate fans or completionists, yet anyone on the fence could skip this and still understand the status quo going into the next chapter.

Ultimate Hawkeye #1 is a visual knockout chained to a plot that reads like a fever dream at three in the morning. Readers coming for the action will find plenty to stare at, but anyone searching for meaning, coherence, or character will leave with their hands empty and their heads spinning. Put simply: high art, low sense, and a wasted shot at greatness.

One World Under Doom #1 elevates Doctor Doom, the current Sorcerer Supreme, to Emperor of the World with an action-packed script and an impressive Doom twist by the end. Unfortunately, Ryan North's lack of a plausible setup and obnoxiously blaring allusions to current-day politics kill the enjoyment factor.

One World Under Doom #2 continues to elevate Doctor Doom as the unstoppable leader of Earth, but it does so at the expense of the Fantastic Four or basic imagination. Ryan North uses Reed Richards to concoct the worst plan possible to stop Doom, and North's obsession with painting Doom as President Trump goes obnoxiously overboard. This event is turning out to be a bigger disappointment for the wasted potential rather than the lack of creativity.

One World Under Doom #3 makes Doom look powerful by making everyone else look dumb, ending on a cliffhanger that ALSO makes Doom look dumb. Ryan North's script tones down the political rhetoric and answers a key question from the first issue, and R.B. Silva's artwork is good to great. That said, the plot is getting repetitive, and Doom's success relies on everyone else's incompetence in an event that's shaping up to be Dumb AND Boring.

One World Under Doom #4 is all action and no substance when Dormammu banishes Earth's heroes to fight Doom solo. Ryan North's script is little more than an excuse to show how much better Doom is than Doctor Strange, but did anyone really want that? Still, R.B. Silva's art goes all out to show epic magical battles.

One World Under Doom #6 is a tough pill to swallow. The art is fantastic, and the creative team really knows how to deliver a beautiful book. Unfortunately, the writing is a letdown. The story struggles with its own continuity and squanders a huge cliffhanger, which makes the whole thing feel like a missed opportunity. While the art earns it a high score, the confusing story elements drag it down.

One World Under Doom #7 is a disappointing entry in the series. It doesn't move the story forward in any significant way. The writing is the main problem, presenting a villain and wow moments that feel cheap and unearned than memorable. The art has some good moments, but they aren't enough to save this from being a boring and ultimately forgettable issue.

For all its bombastic art and grand ambitions, One World Under Doom #8 achieves little beyond a spectacular visual rerun of events weve already seen. If the battle for Earth hinges on philosophical debates and endless do-overs, maybe Doom isnt the only one doomed to an eternal cycle. Readers might be, too. Skip the talk, savor the panels. Even flash freezes eventually melt, but this plot may never thaw out of repetition.

One World Under Doom #9 wears the trappings of a finale but instead pitches readers into another holding pattern, saving its biggest twists for whichever sequel comes next. For those who demand resolution and payoff, this comic is a flashy detour, more spectacle than substance; for art lovers and continuity completists, it's a visually strong but narratively frustrating experience.

Marvel Knights: The World to Come #1 is going to get people talking. Not for the wonky narrative flow that's become a Christopher Priest hallmark, the dour post-apocalyptic story, or the impressive Joe Quesada art. No, people will only bother talking about this comic because of the last-page twist. This comic should more accurately be titled Marvel Knights: Short-Term Internet Clicks.

Marvel Knights: The World to Come #2 is a visually impressive comic dragged down by its own narrative ambition. While the art is undeniably top-tier, the muddled plot, clunky dialogue, and awkward pacing make for a frustrating read. Its clear there are interesting ideas at play, but they get lost in translation. This issue ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to deliver a compelling story.

Let's not mince words. Marvel Knights: The World to Come #4 is no easy read, and it has no intention of being one. It pays dividends to those who crave dense plotting, non-linear storytelling, and ideological swordplay, but casual fans and younger readers may balk at getting lost in its labyrinth. If clever political metaphors, self-aggrandizing sarcasm, and philosophical peril sound worth your investment, this issue earns a spot on your shelf. For those seeking capes, crusades, and clean resolutions, keep your eyes on the horizon: this comic is one long storm cloud, rolling in and showing no sign of clearing.

Marvel Knights: The World To Come #5 is frustrating in proportion to its ambition. The artwork is phenomenal, the premise is genuinely inventive, and the world-building is global. But the narrative structure is so obsessed with complexity that it collapses under its own weight. A reader should not require a timeline diagram to understand basic plot progression. The issue demands respect for its intellectual scope while simultaneously failing to deliver narrative clarity necessary to make that respect stick.

The Ultimates #1 is a perfectly serviceable introduction to get readers on board with the new Ultimates Universe, the heroes, their mission, the stakes, and the timeline. Frigeri's art is rock-solid, and Camp's script is technically, thoroughly proficient, but the story fails to deliver any emotional beats that give the reader a reason to care.

The Ultimates #2 cranks up the action but leaves sense at the door for a lengthy confrontation and villain monologue that reads like a barely disguised activist fetish about the evils of capitalism and America. The art is good, and the ending gets the team where they need to go, but readers will likely be annoyed rather than entertained.

The Ultimates #3 delivers a stand-alone issue that gives readers a full history of Earth-6160's version of She-Hulk. Deniz Camp's setup is thorough and engaging, with just a palatable hint of commentary about the real-life inspiration for this issue, and Juan Frigeri's art looks great. The overall series is still slow and treading water, but this is a solid one-off issue to introduce an interesting new variant character.

The Ultimates #4 addresses Doom's attempts to recreate the Ultimate Fantastic Four using a unique narrative structure and storytelling flow. The reading experience is certainly unique but in Deniz Camp's quest to do "something different, several plot questions are left unanswered. Likewise, Phil Noto pulls off a minor miracle in making Camp's script work visually, but the visual pop and creativity suffer as a result.

The Ultimates #5 introduces a cool new version of Hawkeye to join the fledgling group of heroes. Unfortunately, writer Deniz Camp can't get out of his own way, going overboard on the soapboxing instead of giving you a complete picture of Hawkeye's personality. What could have been one of the stronger variants in the Ultimate universe is squandered.

The Ultimates #6 may be the best issue in the series when Deniz Camp assembles the Ultimate Avengers for their first big mission, and they get their butts handed to them. Despite the poor setup, the issue flies with power and energy once the big door opens, and artist Juan Frigeri looks like he's having a blast with the big hits and surprising amount of gore.

The Ultimates #7 presents a day in the life of the Ultimate Avengers after their defeat at the hands of the Ultimate Hulk. Deniz Camp's script goes nowhere and accomplishes nothing except to give a voice to the heroes to express their feelings, while Camp uses the backdrop of the NYC Memorial as an opportunity to preach about hate and intolerance. If nothing else, Juan Frigeri's art looks fantastic, even if the issue is almost all dialog.

The Ultimates #8 is nothing more than a flimsy excuse, much like Marvel's 2099 line, to introduce a team of variant characters. Deniz Camp's paper-thin plot succeeds in giving readers an oversized cameo introduction before the Guardian of the Galaxy from the 61st Century Galaxy disappears until they're needed later, and Juan Frigeri's art is a treat, albeit a wasted one.

The Ultimates #9 reimagines Power Man on Earth-6160 by turning him into a career prison inmate radicalized into becoming an activist, patterned after a real-life activist, George Jackson. Deniz Camp's gritty tone reads like a Blaxploitation film, and Chris Allen's art makes the 9-panel structure succeed beyond the limitations of the format. That said, patterning an original(ish) black character after a radical Marxist and convicted murderer is a creative choice in extremely poor taste.

The Ultimates #10 is a sickening turn for the title when the writer transforms a developing team of heroes into a death squad for sentimental and ideological reasons. Deniz Camp's poorly constructed script serves as little more than a platform for his fetish to kill "those people," only marginally saved by Juan Frigeri's cool art. At this point, Camp may need some kind of intervention.

The Ultimates #11 is a pretty book that's an Absolute chore to get through. Deniz Camp experiments with the narrative format by telling the story in epic poem verses, infusing social messaging about Loki's oppressive rule as an allegory for everything from worker mistreatment to artistic censorship. If that sounds like the exact opposite of entertaining, you are correct. Bonus points for Juan Frigeri's fantastic art.

The Ultimates #12 upends Earth-6160's status quo by tossing out the last year, acknowledging nothing works, and starting over from scratch. Every passing issue confirms and bolsters the idea that Deniz Camp was the wrong writer for this series, but at least you have Juan Frigeri's amazing art to make nothing look good.

The Ultimates #14 tries to deliver a big action spectacle but trips over its own feet. While the art is top-notch and Emma Frost steals the show, the main battle is a clunky mess that makes our heroes look silly. Its a pretty average comic, saved only by its good looks and one character's shining moment.

The Ultimates #15 is an issue that introduces intriguing new lore but struggles to integrate it meaningfully into the main series. While the concept of Shen Qi is compelling and adds depth to the world, the artistic execution and the stagnant plot progression ultimately hold it back. Readers looking for advancements in the Maker storyline will find themselves waiting, while those interested in new world-building might appreciate the backstory, albeit at the cost of the main narrative.

Ultimates #16 tries to turn a supporting characters bad week into a gripping saga, but ends up as wasted space right when the story should charge ahead. Anyone hoping to see the Ultimates gear up for the Makers return will find only side quests, skipped beats, and squandered suspense. If comics had a please skip button, this issue would earn a slap. Dont spend two years climbing the mountain only to take a nap before the summit.

The Ultimates #17 proves that intellect without rhythm makes for dull storytelling. Dooms riveting characterization keeps it from collapsing entirely, but everything else feels disjointed. Too many ideas, too little cohesion. Marvels Ultimate line deserves better than these cosmic ruminations disguised as progression. If this series wants to lead into the showdown with the Maker, it needs a pulse first.

The Ultimates #18 makes a lot of noise but struggles to turn the racket into actual substance. If the measure of value is time spent versus story earned, this issue is content to trade genuine momentum for angry speeches and rushed montage. Save your cash for a comic that understands the meaning of "show, don't tell, unless you're collecting social movements by the bundle.

The Ultimates #19 nails art fireworks and Wasp's gut-wrenching arc, but squanders endgame urgency on flashbacks and Vision teases that bloat the roster. Skip unless you're all-in on Ultimate betrayals; otherwise, save your spot for issues that actually deliver the Maker bang. It scrapes by on visuals, but won't claim the throne in a tight pull list.

Strong ideas cannot overcome weak execution on fundamentals; save your money unless you're hunting Vision lore or extremely committed to Ultimate continuity.

Damage Control #1 tries its darndest to create an amusing, whimsical adventure starring a hapless intern in Marvel's version of The Office. Unfortunately, the jokes fall flatter than a postage stamp under a 10-ton boulder, and the main character, Gus, gives you no reason to either like or hate him.

Damage Control #2 is a wildly unfunny attempt at showing the absurd side of the Marvel universe. The main character has evolved from an audience placeholder to an annoyingly off-putting idiot in the span of a single issue, so the only thing funny about this issue is the cover price.

Damage Control #3 continues to succeed in one thing only failing to find the funny. The main character is an annoying man-child, his latest adventure makes little sense, and the only redeeming quality of this issue is a slight hint that Gus's employment may be part of a larger plan.

Damage Control #4 rinses and repeats Gus's efforts to find a good fit for himself at the titular agency. The jokes are cornier than a cornfield in Kansas, the farcical humor misses more than it lands, and by the end, you feel like you're reading a comic version of a sitcom doomed to cancellation.

Damage Control #5 ends the series with the shocking reveal of Gus's history, and it winds up being as dumb as this series as a whole. While the art is quite good, and the general pacing and dialog execution are excellent, the story makes no sense, and the jokes fall flat. As a whole, this series is a waste of time.

Planet of the Apes #1 leaps into adopting one of the 20th Century's longest-running film franchises with a story that looks at the most uninteresting aspect of the mythology possible. The art is decent enough, but the story crosses the line from boring to annoying to outright infuriating. What was Marvel thinking?!?

Planet of the Apes #2 is a respectable improvement over issue #1 as readers get more time with the rapidly evolving apes and little scenes tease how the simians become poised to take over. That said, too much time is spent building up an impossible-to-believe boogeyman in the Exercitus Viri, so the issue still falls short of the source material.

Planet of the Apes #3 reads like a setup/breather issue with a collection of partial scenes, flashbacks, and a backup that don't appear to have any meaningful connection to the main story and only serve to provide context and background information. Yet again, the apes are given the least amount of page space in a Planet of the Apes comic, which is a bizarre choice.

Planet of the Apes #4 finally gives POTA fans what they want - smart, evolved, formidable apes. Unfortunately, the boost this issue provides comes much too late in the miseries and only comes through a too-much-to-believe contrivance in the form of a super-powerful terrorist group.

Planet Of The Apes #5 ends the flawed series with the least imaginable chapter possible - a "ripped from the headlines" take on the January 6th protests in Washington D.C. In every way possible, Walker and Marvel misunderstood why the Apes franchise has lasted so long, and Marvel's new 20th Century may never recover.

Storm #1 is a stormy issue to get through. Terribly stiff dialog, a script that's almost all setup with very little plot during an established period in X-Men history, and art that's passable in some spots and amateurish in others. If Marvel intended to give Storm a moment to shine in her own series, the forecast calls for gloomy with a good chance of disappointment.

Storm #2 is a tough read because characters are written with oddly miscast personalities to justify actions and attitudes that don't make sense. If you can't believe the characters, you can't believe the characters' actions, words, or motivations, and the whole issue falls apart.

Storm #3 finally delivers worthwhile intrigue and classically inspired art for the best issue in the run so far. That said, the dialog is painfully stiff, and Kitty's personality seems radically off.

Storm #4 uses a dialog-heavy issue to reveal major swaths of Blowback's identity and the mystery surrounding its arrival. The character work is better, and the dialog is better, but the art is still average, and the plot/plan surrounding Blowback is unnecessarily convoluted.

Storm #5 brings the period piece to a close as Rogue and Storm put Blowback through a trial to get the truth and send him packing. Despite the relatively clean ending, most of the development surrounding Blowback never gets the attention needed to fully explain the character, so the main villain at the heart of the main mystery winds up being a convenient contrivance, leading to an unsatisfying ending.

Wolverine: Revenge #1 takes a trip back in time for an untold tale about Wolverine joining a team to save the world from a devastating EMP blast. The timing is nostalgically cool, and the stakes are immense, but once Jonathan Hickman's mission starts, you're bombarded with deaths, actions, and character choices that don't make a lick of sense. Well, at least Greg Capullo's pencils look great.

Wolverine: Revenge #2 looks great for letting Wolverine loose on his hated enemies, but the head-scratching plot completely falls apart after page four. It looks like Marvel asked Jonathan Hickman to scribble out an idea on the back of a napkin for Wolverine to kill a bunch of people, and the result is a convoluted, conflicted mess.

Wolverine: Revenge #3 confirms what we already suspected. This series is nothing more than a Hickman vanity project to smash action figures together without any thought or effort to explain why they're fighting. If you've ever been curious about who would win in a fight - Wolverine or Colossus - pick up this issue for the novelty factor, but don't expect a story worth the cover price.

Wolverine: Revenge #4 presents the penultimate issue in the "What if?" story by jumping forward in time to a point where the quest for revenge turns against Wolverine. Jonathan Hickman's vanity project is a fun time-waster, as long as you don't mind plot holes or inconsistencies with the setup. If all you want is an excuse for Wolverine to kill bad guys, that's about as much (or as little) as you'll get.

Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #1 is wholly uninspired, cheap, amateurish, and worst of all, boring. If you've been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Blade's daughter for a new generation of adventures, you will be sorely disappointed.

Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #2 is a mild improvement over issue #1. The pacing and dialog are significantly better, and the story is moving, but the plot is amateurish and completely lacking in character motivations or setup.

Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #3 reads more like the third act in a sedate Afterschool Special than a Marvel comic about a family of vampire hunters. The plot barely moves an inch, the well-choreographed action only makes up a fraction of the issue, and everything else is just plain forgettable.

Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #4 is a mediocre comic with sub-par art, a predictable plot, and a main character trying too hard to be a third-rate Buffy knockoff. Marvel missed the mark on this one.

Bloodline: Daughter of Blade #5 ends as well as it could for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer knockoff with awkward character work, truly awful dialog, and YA-grade art that doesn't fit the characters or situation. The plot threads are wrapped up neatly with a happy ending, but the quality of this mini-series never managed to achieve minimum Marvel standards.

Moon Knight: City of the Dead #1 sends Moon Knight on a journey to the Underworld to save a boy's soul. There are copious amounts of big, loud action and obstacles to hinder Moon Knight's quest, but the volume of noise crowds out what amounts to a super simple plot, making for a frequently tedious read.

Moon Knight: City of the Dead #2 sets up a solid team-up between Moon Knight and Scarlet Scarab, and turns the hunt for Khalil's soul into a mission to stop an insidious child trafficking ring. The stakes take a big step up compared to the first issue, and the gritty action looks great, but the rules of the City of the Dead aren't clear, so you don't know to what extent Moon Knight is in genuine danger.

Moon Knight: City Of The Dead #3 sprints from one scene to the next for Moon Knight and Scarlet Scarab to escape capture, fight villains, save Khalil, get captured again, escape again, and fight a kaiju. Pepose rushes the heroes from point A to B, shortchanging a few scenes in the process, so you get where you need to go, even if the journey is too frantic to enjoy it.

Moon Knight: City Of The Dead #4 abandons the child trafficking plot to get back to a standard chase to save Khalil in a perfectly serviceable issue. Admittedly, Moon Knight gets a rare opportunity for character growth, but the overall quest has outlived its potential.

Moon Knight: City Of The Dead #5 is a reasonably clean ending to a mini-series designed to create synergy between the comics and the Disney Plus show. Marc saves the day, Randall's vendetta may be over for good (maybe), and the art is rock-solid. That said, the conflict feels like it ends too early, so a good third of the comic is epilogue filler.

Power Man: Timeless #1 brings Power Man of the Future to a version of the Present for a mindless slugfest in space against an impossibly overpowered foe. Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly's paper-thin plot doesn't have enough information to do more than give Power Man a reason to punch things. Well, at least the action art is great.

Power Man: Timeless #2 is a big, dumb, loud slugfest to give readers a mildly amusing little timewaster. Lanzing and Kelly dream up big developments that retcon the nature of our solar system to make the action as wild as possible, and Bernard Chang's artwork is excellent. That said, the retcons don't make much sense in history, so it's a fair bet nothing will be referenced or remembered ever again.

Power Man: Timeless #3 is big, loud, and full of action spectacles, but there isn't a drop of importance or emotional relatability to be found. Lanzing and Kelly churned out the equivalent of a sub-par fighting video game without the character work. Only Bernard Chang's epic visuals make this comic worth skimming.

Cloak Or Dagger #1 has the pacing of a speeding bullet, but trips on every line of dialog like a toddler chasing a soccer ball. The comic sets up a world dying for a showdown with Doug Ramsey but never delivers, serving up Fenris Twins mayhem as a consolation prize. At least the art sells the crisis, even when the writing insists on tickle tickle instead of tickling brains.

Avengers: Curse of the Man-Thing #1 is a lot of fancy complicated machinations that establishes an extinction-level threat but it's so contrived that it fails to make an impact. The art is decent enough but nothing memorable or stand-out.

Death Of The Silver Surfer #1 is an odd comic. Greg Pak's tale chooses a bizarrely racist protagonist to embark on a mission to kill the Silver Surfer for no clear reason. Pick it up for the fantastic art, but expect to be put off by the story.

Death of the Silver Surfer #2 is a visually striking comic that unfortunately drowns its imaginative cosmic tale in a deluge of heavy-handed social commentary. While the art truly shines, delivering stunning cosmic vistas and dynamic action, the narrative's lack of subtlety regarding xenophobia and immigration makes it a difficult read. The characters, particularly those within the Bureau of Alien Neutralization, feel like mouthpieces for political arguments rather than organic individuals. Despite its visual triumphs and imaginative scope, the issue stumbles in its execution of deeper themes, leading to a mixed bag of cosmic wonder and clunky allegories.

Fallen Friend: The Death Of Ms. Marvel #1 begins the slow, deliberate process of mourning Kamal Khan through a collection of partial scenes and vignettes of widely- and hardly-known characters gathering to grieve. Each chapter centers on a different group of characters in Kamala's life, but the comic as a whole doesn't have anything to say.

Gwenpool #1 is a Gwenpool comic made exclusively for the hardest of diehard Gwenpool fans. Cavan Scott's paper-thin plot takes a backseat to constant cultural references and 4th Wall-breaking hijinks to give Gwenpool fans everything they could want. Plus, Stefano Nasi's action-heavy art is better than it has any right to be, given the script.

Hellcat #1 starts a new adventure for Patsy Walker when she's arrested for the brutal murder of her boyfriend. The bits and pieces of Patsy's life make for a good jumping-on point, and the murder mystery is set up well, but the pacing is dull, and the stylized art makes Patsy look like a glum sadsack.

Hellcat #2 is an oddly pointless issue that does little to solve the murder mystery at hand and spends a lot of time fleshing out irrelevant details about Patsy's past. Hellcat lovers may love this issue for the richness of details you get about Patsy's broken upbringing, but everyone else may find this issue lacking in substance.

Hellcat #3 is not a good comic. There are too many subplots designed to add texture but lack substance, and the dialog-heavy issue relies too much upon quid-pro-quo exchanges between characters that ultimately lead nowhere. Couple the tedious writing with just serviceable art, and you wind up with a comic that's a chore to read.

Hellcat #4 delivers oodles of exposition and dialog to answer every question but one - who killed Spalding? Still, the volume of answers and explanations is enough to make this issue reasonably satisfying, even if it isn't particularly riveting or entertaining.

Hellcat #5 ends the mini-series with big drama and big reveals, but the net result (sorta) makes everything Hellcat's fault and leaves Hellcat in a worse place than when she started. If the goal was to turn readers into new fans of Hellcat so they'd want to read more, Cantwell didn't understand the homework assignment.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

I Am Iron Man #2 attempts to spin an allegory about fighting against your body, but the story is clunky, inconsistent, and downright nonsensical at points. The art looks great, but whatever message the writers intended to convey gets lost in translation.

I Am Iron Man #3 contains tons of heart sure to pull at your heartstrings just in time for Mother's Day, and the art is excellent. That said, the plot is a confusing mess up to the halfway mark, and after the mystery is clarified, the confusion is replaced by massive plot holes.

Inglorious X-Force #1 is a competent recruitment mission that mistakes momentum for narrative strength. Cable assembles his team with all the emotional weight of a corporate onboarding session, checking boxes rather than earning investment. Ms. Marvel is the only character with real resistance to the premise, which makes her forced inclusion feel cynical and her character regressive. The twist ending is clever enough to suggest that future issues might explore genuine moral complexity, but this debut issue is too preoccupied with setup to deliver anything beyond serviceable superhero machinery.

If you have room in your stack for a competently made, brand safe crossover that spends its first issue setting up a better second issue, Planet of the Apes versus Fantastic Four #1 is a fine curiosity pick but not an urgent buy. The clear storytelling and solid art give you your money's worth on craftsmanship, yet the script's reluctance to truly exploit its wild premise keeps it planted firmly in "wait for the next chapter territory. In a crowded week, this is more "grab it if you are a die hard FF or Apes completionist than "drop everything and take it to the counter.

This is a comic that reads like the first act of a story rather than a complete chapter, and while the promise of future conflicts is evident, a debut issue should deliver more than table-setting.

If you're searching for a first issue that delivers a satisfying story on its own, move along. This one's busy drawing up blueprints and leaving the actual building for later. With formulaic writing and too much setup, X-Men of Apocalypse #1 is a middling investment that's tough to recommend unless you really love timeline drama and can forgive another helping of "heroes fight first, ask later.

X-Men of Apocalypse #2 improves on its predecessor by making timeline consequences tangible and adding genuine threat through Phoenix's involvement, but it squanders that goodwill by spending half the issue on a forgettable school battle and remaining reluctant to commit to emotional character moments. The Gambit and Rogue cliffhanger proves the creative team can land compelling drama, so why does everything leading up to it feel like going through the motions?

X-Men Age of Apocalypse Alpha #1 is a brilliant art showcase, but the writing is an exercise in stylistic chaos. Its an issue that looks fantastic but feels thin on substance. The punchy dialogue and rapid pace deliver a quick hit of action, but they don't give the reader enough time to invest in the characters or the plot. This comic is a treat for the eyes but leaves a lot to be desired in terms of narrative depth.

Amazing Spider-Man Annual (2026) #1 is a mixed bag that peaks early and never recovers. Rapid is a character worth investing in, and if you care about Spider-Man as a mentor figure, you'll find moments here that hit. But paying $4.99 for a comic where the villain is a corny internet joke and the main conflict never actually concludes is a tough sell. You're basically paying for character development and action sequences while the actual story skeleton collapses under the weight of an insufferable antagonist.

Amazing Spider-Man #1 begins a new day with a new creative team when Peter Parker finds a new job, and Spider-Man stumbles upon a new mystery. Joe Kelly's script is a significant improvement over the Zeb Wells run, but the drama-light story is long on dialog, short on action, and slathered in Parker Luck tropes. On the plus side, Pepe Larraz does a bang-up job on the art, so this first issue at least shows mild promise.

Amazing Spider-Man #2 increases the mystery and the villain count when a one-off villain returns to as Hobgoblin's lackey to tie up loose ends. Joe Kelly's script successfully the disorienting feeling of a hero under the spell of powerful hallucinogens, and Pepe Larraz's art helps Kelly's script considerably. That said, a one-off villain that hasn't been seen in years falls well short of what this series needs, and the mystery progresses through too much hand-waving.

Amazing Spider-Man #3 is a weirdly uneven comic. Joe Kelly's central mystery about a Hobgoblin plot to poison people is picking up steam, and Pepe Larraz's art is fantastic. However, Itsy Bitsy's presence and weird affection towards Spidey is unwelcome and gross. Plus, there are too many coincidences to swallow to stay invested in the story. Bonus points for the art.

Amazing Spider-Man #4 has great art and great action but wastes a lot of time on flashbacks of Peter's youth for no Earthly reason. Joe Kelly's clunky script about a Hobgoblin plot to poison New York has some merit if he would develop and stay on it long enough to let it play out. Conversely, Pepe Larraz's art is spectacular and too good for this story. The score below is mostly for the art.

Amazing Spider-Man #5 wraps up Hobgoblin's hair-brained plan with a visually spectacular battle at Rand Industries. Joe Kelly's finale to the first arc is woefully underbaked and unsatisfying, offset only by Pepe Larraz's spectacular art. Truly, if the art wasn't as good as it is (which earns a few bonus points on the score), this arc would be a complete flop.

Amazing Spider-Man #8 swings big and lands hard. Sometimes in your gut, sometimes on the page. Half trauma, half lesson, with just enough wit to keep it lively, this issue isn't afraid to take its shots even if it leaves a bruise or two in the process. The story may be running in place by the end, but it's never dull.

Amazing Spider-Man #9 is a decent issue with some good character moments, but it is not a perfect comic. It succeeds in showing the emotional weight of being a hero, but struggles with pacing and has some inconsistent art. The writing is solid and the creativity is there, but it feels like a setup issue for something bigger to come.

Amazing Spider-Man #10 is a sharp, engaging comic that makes you question everything you thought you knew about the web-slinger. It's a shocking and compelling story that sets up a huge mystery. The writing is on point, the art is dynamic, and the cliffhanger will leave you desperate for the next issue. This comic is a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery and a shocking ending.

The comic is a prime example of style over substance, and the beautiful art cannot make up for the bad writing. It is a confusing, nonsensical story that is a chore to read and leaves you with more questions than answers.

Amazing Spider-Man #12 is a disappointment. It fails to live up to the setup of the previous installment, instead opting for a series of meandering conversations and an introduction of a new, seemingly random villain. The plot is thin, the characters are sidelined, and the central conflict is almost completely ignored. Ultimately, it feels like a waste of time, a filler issue that squanders its potential and leaves the reader wondering when the real story will start again.

For a book called Amazing Spider-Man #13, this issue steadfastly avoids being either. The art deserves a portfolio, the writing deserves a GPS, and fans deserve something resembling Spider-Man, not Peter Parker playing cosmic camp counselor for a busload of alien B-listers. If Marvel wants to keep Spider-Man fans on board, its time to bring the wall-crawler home, or at the very least, explain how he wound up light-years from what made him amazing in the first place.

Amazing Spider-Man #14 has killer looks and nowhere to go. The art team deserves a bonus, but every time the story starts to gain steam, it slams into a wall of pointless substitutions and unearned emotional beats. With Ben and Norman faking their way through someone elses life, and Captain Kintsugi dropped in like last-minute garnish on a half-baked dish, all the issue really proves is that sometimes, even Marvel icons can put the mask on upside-down.

Amazing Spider-Man #15 is a breather you never asked for; a leap into space weirdness that forgets both the Spider and the Man. Wonderful art can't patch the torn fabric of inconsistent writing, and readers are left with a soupy grab bag of cosmic clichs and squandered possibilities. If your comic pull list has any standards, this is one interstellar detour you do not need to take.

If Amazing Spider-Man #16 were a financial statement, it would show a lot of emotional withdrawals but not enough deposits to justify the full price. Strong art and sharp dialogue keep fans afloat, but erratic plotting and a parade of pain leave this issue best suited for those already committed to the Parker-Osborn drama. Budget-conscious readers might hold out for a more focused installment. This one's for diehards with plenty of patience.

This issue doesn't earn its price for readers who actually care about Spider-Man stories. It's a pretty comic book with a hollow core, and that's not nearly enough.

Amazing Spider-Man #18 asks you to pay five dollars to watch a character who isn't the title character have an emotional breakthrough while a mysterious villain's identity is revealed with all the impact of a secret being whispered in an empty theater. The Jameson and Norman conversation is genuine, but it's buried under pacing that mistakes sprawl for depth and treats five separate storylines like they're chapters of the same book when they're really just pages torn from different comics.

Amazing Spider-Man #19 proves that a climactic issue can be just as interested in promises as it is in payoffs. This comic earns every moment of emotional catharsis by refusing to shortcut the work that gets you there, and it does so while delivering genuine action sequences that serve the character arcs rather than existing alongside them. Whether this is worth your money depends on whether you've entertained by Peter's journey in a recycled Guardians of the Galaxy tale, but if you are, this is the issue that makes the entire space arc feel necessary rather than indulgent.

The Amazing Spider-Man #20 crafts compelling individual sequences and character moments but fails to deliver them in service of a satisfying story; it's a middling issue in a series where that word carries specific weight. The emotional stakes are present, the art executes cleanly, and the writing demonstrates genuine character voice, but the comic prioritizes setup over payoff so thoroughly that spending four dollars on it feels like a down payment rather than a purchase.

Amazing Spider-Man #21 is the kind of issue that will not make you angry you read it, but it might make you wonder why no one in the room asked a few follow-up questions before going to print. If you are invested in Norman's redemption experiment or you are a sucker for big, well-drawn superhero action, this is worth picking up, but only if you are comfortable accepting "because the plot says so as the answer to several key problems. If your budget is tight and you need both spectacle and rock-solid storytelling, this feels more like optional viewing before Peter's proper return in that sleek black and yellow suit than a must-own chapter.

Final ThoughtsShe-Hulk #1 successfully pulls off a '90s-style, light and airy tone showing how the main character is down-on-her-luck in every way possible. While the tone is inoffensively pleasant, this first issue is nothing more than a decompressed prologue that doesn't get to the heart of the story until the last page. It's the cotton candy of adventure stories, and maybe that's enough for She-Hulk fans who've waited for her return to form.

Final ThoughtsShe-Hulk #2 spends nearly the entire issue (re)introducing readers to Jack of Hearts through his history and how he feels right now, admittedly with a flawed memory of recent days. The art is serviceable, but there's no story (yet) to speak of.

She-Hulk #3 is a golden opportunity to bring the character back to her glory days but Rowell seems content to have the character sitting and talking for the entire issue without uncovering anything about the plot. It's effectively a 22-page idle chit-chat session. At some point, Rowell needs to get going with a story because the only progress being made is in how quickly this issue is losing readers.

She-Hulk #4 contains absolutely nothing of consequence. The titular character spends the entire day hanging out with friends and chatting about nothing of consequence. After four issues with a $3.99 cover price, this story is worth less than the paper it's printed on.

She-Hulk #5 must be the comic about nothing because it's doing absolutely nothing. The beginning fight simply stops without resolution, and the rest of the issue follows Jack and Jennifer as they talk about life. There's no urgency, no stakes, no direction, and no destination.

She-Hulk #6 works best if you treat this comic for what it is a slice-of-life comic unconcerned with solving Jack of Heart's resurrection mystery, drama, or a basic plot. The only thing that matters is showing Jennifer Walters living her best life. If that's good enough for her, that's good enough for you.

She-Hulk #7 continues the trend of the entire series by doing nothing in particular. Surprisingly, the story takes a step or two forward in the last page, but everything about this issue is time-wasting, boring fluff.

She-Hulk #8 reveals (almost) all the secrets behind Jack of Hearts' disappearance and how it plays into a secret villain She-Hulk didn't know existed until now. You'll enjoy this issue as long as you don't mind reading a She-Hulk comic with no She-Hulk in it.

She-Hulk #9 finally gives the languishing series some much-needed momentum. until the comic stops with a bizarre creative choice in the third act. A choice that doesn't make sense for the scene, the story, or the context. This comic had potential but flops hard in the end.

She-Hulk #10 returns the series to its roots with a slice-of-life romance scenario that finds She-Hulk moping over Jack of Hearts' disappearance. There is no plot, there is no action, and there is no purpose to this comic other than for the readers to be there for Jen in her time of need.

She-Hulk #11 is an odd issue in an already-odd series. One half slice-of-life story heading nowhere, and one half superhero thief mystery that's a serviceably standard superhero comic, this issue doesn't know what it wants to be. If you've loved the slice-of-life storytelling up to this point, you'll love the first half. If you want more superhero action with your She-Hulk, this issue throws you a tiny bone.

She-Hulk #12 is a head-scratcher of an issue. The plot about a superpowered thief started last issue takes a backseat to pointless scenes about Jen's work life, her romantic life, and an overlong backup story about hosting a book club. This title is the very definition of directionless.

She-Hulk #13 switches gears (again) and dives head first into a will they/ won't they romance comic that works surprisingly well. The writing execution hits all the right notes for a tension-filled romance, and the art is excellent.

She-Hulk #14 picks up the pace slightly in She-Hulk's will they/ won't they relationship with Scoundrel until she finds out what his thievery has led to. The art team does a fine job with what little they have to work with, and the emotional beats are strong, but as the penultimate issue in the series, it falls short of building momentum for the finale.

She-Hulk #15 is a ridiculous finale that speeds through the conflict to only finish part of the attack on Manhattan. The primary villain is barely set up in a hurry, and She-Hulk's only contribution to the finale is a hasty call to her boyfriend for help. The word "rushed" barely covers how terrible this ending turned out, and rebooting the title in the Fall with the same creative team bodes poorly for She-Hulk fans who deserve better.

Blood Hunt #1 kicks off Marvel'smajorevent for 2024 with high stakes,bigaction, and a decisive sneak attack that creates a seemingly impossible challenge for the heroes. That said, the almost total lack of setup is weird. Clues that have supposedlybeen plantedin other titles meant nothing, and the big bad is an out-of-the-blue surprise that makes little sense given the Master's recent activities. Blood Hunt looksgreatand feels big, but the sloppiness in details and setup results in a mixed bag.

Blood Hunt #2 gives Earth's mightiest heroes a moment to counterpunch the Bloodcoven's sneak attack and regroup. Pepe Larraz's art is amazing, and big things are happening, but MacKay's plot is too shallow to let any moment or character develop beyond a quick scene, so the issue comes off as wholly forgettable.

Blood Hunt #3 assembles the Avengers before splitting them into teams to tackle the vampire apocalypse on multiple fronts. Larraz's art is fantastic, but this story is almost all setup, posturing, and speeches that fail to build hype for whatever comes next.

Blood Hunt #5 ends a (too) massive Summer event on a mediocre note. The big battle is just okay, the outcomes are predictable, the plot is paper thin, and at least one twist you could see coming from a mile away. The saving grace of this event is Pepe Larraz's spectacular art, but on the whole, this ending and the event are forgettable.

Black Panther #1 starts a new chapter in T'Challa's legend with an issue that builds an amazing amount of texture and detail into the less-frequented corners of Wakanda. However, this issue is almost all exposition and setup with very little action or Black Panther to show for it, resulting in a detailed but ultimately dull comic.

Black Panther #2 (2023) continues the deep exploration of Wakanda's street-level life, but the more texture Ewing gives to the picture, the more it looks like Ewing is writing a dull Batman story in Gotham with a thin coat of Wakandan paint. The art team is doing their best to keep the visuals interesting, but the story is too slow and too boring to hold your attention.

Black Panther #3 clears away the distractions and focuses on the task at hand by teaming Black Panther with Beisa to find out which crime family is behind a string of disappearances as an advent to a mob war. The script is tighter and focused, and the art is good. That said, it's painfully obvious Ewing is writing a Batman story in a Wakandan wrapper.

Black Panther #4 delivers some cool Black Panther vs. Deathlok action and stunning art throughout, but the plot barely moves an inch on a mystery that isn't well-developed or interesting.

Black Panther #5 is a boring, convoluted mess with great art. Ewing is spending so much time creating the Wakandan version of Gotham City in minute detail that the too-large list of characters and multiple, disjointed plots don't get enough attention.

Black Panther #6 kills what little pacing and momentum the series had coming out of issue #5 for an issue-long flashback to tell the backstory we have yet to see in the story so far. The flashback is well done, but the timing, pacing, and length of the flashback are poorly placed.

Black Panther #7 takes the slow train to find out who's behind the simmering gang war and the disappearances and makes it slower by sending T'Challa on a cultural tour of Biti to get in touch with the people. Ewing earns high marks for the expansive world-building in a fictional city, but after seven issues, the plot is barely formed, and T'Challa is still in information-gathering mode.

Black Panther #8 continues the slow crawl toward an uncertain destination. A Monet St. Croix cameo adds little value to the mystery, things happen that don't appear to relate to the plot, and Ewing wastes too much time on character and world-building through conversations and self-reflection. At some point, this story needs to get moving.

Black Panther #9 serves up big answers to most of the major, lingering questions about Kivu'Ma and the disappearing citizens of Birnin T'Chaka. Ewing finally gets around to creating a clear plot with decent art, engaging reveals, and solid pacing, but the cancellation next month confirms why you can't waste time at $3.99.

Black Panther #10 practically sprints to the finish line in T'Challa's conflict with a soul-sucking demon. The art is intricate to a fault, and the broader plot points are quickly resolved, but the need to rush due to cancelation is apparent, leaving a slapdash and unsatisfying conclusion.

Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1 has the seed of a good idea, but the concept is dampened with a hook that doesn't make sense and lots of tedious narration. The art has some excellent creature designs, but you'll be tuning out pretty quickly.

Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man #2 creates a mystical quest for Spidey to duel the Demon bear. While that sounds interesting, the path to get there is convoluted, poorly explained, and doesn't always make much sense. The creepy art is a highlight, but a few splash pages get fancy with the panel layout to the detriment of the reading order.

Deadly Neighborhood Spider-Man #3 is filled with intriguing art and imaginative ideas, but the over-reliance on heavy symbolism makes the plot often confusing, and the lack of character urgency against a world-ending threat is bizarre.

Uncanny X-Men #1 almost gets the band back together in the first issue with heartfelt character moments and a scattered, unfocused plot. Gail Simone nails the characters' voices, and David Marquez's art is outstanding, but the issue feels more like a collection of random scenes of sadness than an adventure comic with a renewed purpose, and the pervasive shadow of Krakoa's passing lingers like the ghost of a deceased spouse who won't let the living move on.

Uncanny X-Men #2 is much less busy and unfocused than issue #1, but Gail Simone's script takes shortcuts in the wrong spots, leading to an incomplete and unsatisfying battle, strange strategic decisions, and narrative gaps (How did Wolverine beat Deathdream?). That said, there are intriguing moments with the developments at Graymalkin and the origin of The Hag to keep readers engaged. Plus, David Marquez's art is gorgeous.

Uncanny X-Men #3 is an oddly disjointed comic with strong emotional beats and interesting action. However, the pieces are clumsily assembled, presenting too many shortcuts and a schizophrenic sense of urgency. David Marquez's art pushes the emotional heart of the story, but Simone's plot structure and flow are rickety.

Uncanny X-Men #4 gives readers plenty of edge-of-your-seat action when Rogue takes on the Hag. That said, Gail Simone continues to drop in plot points without setup or explanation, so many of the nuggets we receive about the Hag and Rogue's mysterious, new psychic powers come off as out-of-the-blue, confusing, and frustrating.

Uncanny X-Men #5 concludes the Red Wave arc with a rousing battle on two fronts. Gail Simone impressively mixes gritty action with strong emotional beats for an emotionally weighty issue, and the art team's delivery is first-rate. That said, the conclusion leaves too many unexplained plot points dangling for a sloppy, frustrating conclusion.

Uncanny X-Men #6 is a mixed bag of interesting moments and genuine connection between the characters overshadowed by a clunky, disjointed, plothole-riddled script. Gail Simone masterfully executes the heartfelt scenes between the characters, but the general plot is unfocused, and things happen without a plausible setup.

Uncanny X-Men #7 is an uneven, mixed bag of an issue with strong action and a good pace, but the positives are overshadowed by an inconsistent overlap with X-Men #8, weird plot holes, and a general lack of satisfaction. Tom Brevoort's first "event" since starting the From The Ashes era is off to a mediocre start.

Uncanny X-Men #8 ends the 4-part "Raid on Graymalkin" crossover with a tension-filled but ultimately unsatisfying conclusion. Gail Simone's script does a fine job of keeping everyone angry with each other, and Javier Garrn's artwork carries the weight of the issue by making angry conversations look interesting. However, the net result is a crossover whose main purpose is to create a flimsy excuse for the X-Teams to fight. If you skip it, you miss nothing.

Uncanny X-Men #9 fails on multiple levels. Writer Gail Simone concocts a weirdly uneven script that's one-half modern Marvel slice-of-life nonsense and one-half action that doesn't make any sense. Only Andrei Bressan's art can salvage a comic that's this plain dumb.

Uncanny X-Men #11 begins the 7-part X-Manhunt crossover with a middling collection of scenes that show Charles Xavier is either escaping prison because he's delusional or something bigger is going on. By calling Xavier's actions into doubt, Simone gives you plenty of bang but little investment because you don't know who to root for or why. Further, the art is decent enough (if you look past pinhead Logan).

Uncanny X-Men #12 is a well-drawn, basic, action-packed, one-and-done story about Gambit revisiting a rough character from his past. Gail Simone's one-shot is fine if you just want a solo story starring Gambit, but on every practical level, this issue is forgettable.

Uncanny X-Men #13 is a mildly interesting start to a new arc with multiple mysteries. Gail Simone's three-way setup has several interesting ideas that might be worth exploring, but the lack of purpose, stakes, or dramatic impact will leave you cold. If nothing else, David Marquez's art makes a bland story look good.

Uncanny X-Men #14 is a surprisingly engaging issue that brings the disparate threads together for a more cohesive story. Gail Simone introduces a new character who could be a hero or a villain, but she's interesting regardless. Plus, David Marquez's art is outstanding. The series has a major pacing and direction problem, but this issue was a solid read.

Uncanny X-Men #15 sets up an interesting idea when the Outliers visit Purgatory to heed the call of an ancient entity. Gail Simone's script is packed with potential, but the shoddy setup sticks out like a sore thumb. Fortunately, David Marquez's artwork makes the journey worth taking.

Uncanny X-Men #17 delivers a surprisingly relevant and genuinely unsettling experience, blending superheroics with horror and social commentary. It's a clever take on mutantkind's struggles, proving that even a trip to the movies can be fraught with peril when you're an X-Man. Gail Simone and Luciano Vecchio are crafting a sharp, witty series that isn't afraid to confront uncomfortable truths, even if Rogue needs a quick grammar lesson.

Uncanny X-Men #18 is proof that pretty settings and recycled themes are not enough to keep this franchise fresh. When the Outliers are scenery and meaningful stakes are nowhere to be found, the only thing "mutant about this book is the way it manages to avoid any character evolution.

Uncanny X-Men #19 is a lot of talk and very little meaningful action. The plot moves at a snail's pace, and the few moments of action that happen feel pointless. The writing quality is shaky, and the art is inconsistent, especially in the action scenes.

Uncanny X-Men #20 is a prime example of a comic that gets lost in its own exposition. It mistakes a heavy dose of descriptive text for a compelling narrative, resulting in a tedious and boring reading experience. The lack of a captivating plot, combined with uninspired art and uninteresting characters, makes this a forgettable chapter in the Uncanny X-Men series.

Dark Web #1 kicks off the supernatural event with new alliances, demonic attacks on NYC, and quickly spiraling chaos. The art is excellent, and there are a few interesting developments in this issue to hold your attention, but the villains' plan doesn't seem fully formed, and the collaboration between the villains doesn't make a lot of sense.

Dark Web: Finale #1 ends the event the way it began - with bad humor, nonsensical plot points, and weird creative choices. If ever there was a case to say an event didn't need to exist, this is it.

Final ThoughtsCaptain America / Iron Man #1 is a fun and engaging first issue with the top leaders of the Avengers chasing down an unassuming villain whose little plan may be more dangerous than anyone realizes. The art is great, and Landy perfectly captures the characterizations of Cap and Tony. However, a few of the minor plot points don't quite add up, relying on the reader to turn a blind eye to get the best experience out of the issue.

Captain America / Iron Man #2 has great art with fun, kinetic action and a few nice exchanges between Cap and Iron Man. That said, the overall plot is a jumbled mess and the character of Veronica Eden quickly turned from intriguing in issue #1 to nerve-grating levels of irritating in issue #2. What a disappointment for such a promising start.

Captain America / Iron Man #3 tries to have fun with heartfelt moments between our lead heroes, and a cool robot battle but fails at everything else. Eden's plan is nonsense, her "partnership" is nonsense, and despite some very fine art, this series as a whole is turning into pure nonsense.

Bits and PiecesCaptain America/Iron Man #4 connects all the dots to reveal the villain's master plan, but it's a convoluted mess. Landy goes out of his way to prove that the shortest distance between two points looks like an unspooled ball of yarn gathered in a heap. That said, there's plenty of great rock 'em, sock 'em robot smashing. Buy it for the visuals, but save yourself the headache and ignore the mess of a story.

Bits and PiecesCaptain America/Iron Man #5 ends the mini-series somewhat neatly with great art, great action, and a complete ending that leaves the door open for more. That said, the great art and action are put up against a convoluted plan and confusing characters for a generally mixed arc.

Concert Of Champions #1 marks Jason Loo's second crack at bringing life to the X-Men's most famous mutant musician, and the results are about what you expect. Fans of Dazzler get to see the musician in all her hero glory, but the plot is a convoluted mess of random events that happen without explanation or good reason. If nothing else, the art is solid from returning artist Rafael Loureiro.

Deadpool #1 gives readers plenty of action, but Ziglar misses the boat by delivering a Deadpool who is more sarcastic sadsack than the Merc with a Mouth. Deadpool's personality sets him apart, so missing out on what makes Deadpool special, building the story on Alyssa Wong's fatally flawed run, makes this issue feel like a non-starter.

Doom Academy #1 is a fluffy time-waster that's a perfect fit for readers looking for the Marvel equivalent of a Harry Potter comic. Mackenzie Cadenhead's dialog-heavy script makes good use of introductions and relationships to build out a pleasant cast of characters, and Pasqual Ferry's bright, whimsical art is a perfect fit for the story material. That said, readers who pick up this issue because it's a tie-in to One World Under Doom will be disappointed by its lack of connection and importance to the main event.

Timeslide #1 is the annual event that teases what's to come for Marvel in 2025 and beyond, wrapped in a paper-thin plot that centers on a new villain with potential. Steve Foxe's script barely holds together, but Ivan Fiorelli's art looks great, and if all you want are the 2025 teases for Marvel, you'll get what you pay for.

Wolverine and Kitty Pryde #1 jumps back to the 80s to imagine what Kitty and Wolverine were up to between missions when their trip to Japan takes a wild turn. Chris Claremont has the voice of Kitty and Wolverine down like no other, but the plot is a jumble of ideas that don't quite work together, and the art looks, in a word, cheap.

Ultimate X-Men #1 takes the concept of "a different take on the superheroes you thought you knew" to an extreme with a Manga-inspired horror story that looks and reads like a comic from Viz rather than Marvel. Momoko's character work and atmosphere hit the nail on the head for a horror Manga, but the story is so far removed from every other Marvel Ultimate title, that it almost feels out of place.

Ultimate X-Men #2 continues the creepy, atmospheric Manga horror tale about a schoolgirl confronted by a dangerous shadow figure connected to a schoolmate's death. Fans of Manga Horror may find this extreme take on the X-Men a refreshing change, but readers looking to make the connection between this title and the greater Ultimate universe or anything remotely resembling an X-Men comic (in story and art) will be left wanting.

Ultimate X-Men #3 continues to be one of the most baffling creative endeavors Marvel has released in recent years. A creator is tasked with creating an Ultimate X-Men comic, but instead, produces a manga with a glacially slow plot that has almost nothing to do with the Ultimates or the X-Men. There's no reason for this comic to exist.

Ultimate X-Men #4 is a tighter, more action-packed script compared to the previous issues, but Peach Momoko's plot continues to meander in casual directions and is tonally and structurally inconsistent with the rest of the Ultimate universe. If the goal is the build up the Ultimate version of the X-Men in time to join the fight against the Maker in 18 months, Momoko's corner of Earth-6160 is severely at risk of getting left behind.

Ultimate X-Men #5 picks up the pace, begins drawing the battlelines between the potential heroes and villains, and brings the title closer to something loosely resembling the X-Men. On the one hand, a higher pace and clear movement is a big step in the right direction for a title that's been treading water almost since issue #1. On the other hand, the leap from horror Manga to forming an X-Men team comes out of nowhere and feels both rushed and forced.

Ultimate X-Men #6 brings the first arc to a close with the reveal of Shinobu's identity and the first battle of the Ultimate X-Men. Unfortunately, Shinobu's identity was guessable almost from the beginning, so the reveal has no impact, and the battle is little more than a playground tussle. What should be a big moment to end the arc barely elicits a mild shrug.

Ultimate X-Men #7 begins a new arc with by filling in the blanks with intriguing world-building and setting up the latest Ultimate version of a mutant to join the series. Putting it generously, Peach Momoko's pace and energy remain sedate, but the volume of intriguing developments and introductions build enough curiosity to keep going.

Ultimate X-Men #8 keeps the energy and pacing up to follow up on the previous issue. Some intriguing developments will catch your attention, and the plot vaguely feels like it's moving toward something. That said, the high pace is offset by a scattered, disjointed plot.

Ultimate X-Men #9 is a significantly better issue. Peach Momoko keeps the pace and energy up while tightening the plot to focus on just a few threads at a time. Unfortunately, several threads that have big cliffhanger moments suddenly get pushed to the back burner, so the issue is fine, but the arc is disjointed.

Ultimate X-Men #11 gives you more of the same slice-of-life storytelling you either love or hate. Peach Momoko moves an assortment of plot threads forward by inches, and the artwork is perfectly fine if you're into Shojo Manga. For everyone else clamoring for an X-Men comic set in the Ultimates universe, look elsewhere.

Ultimate X-Men #13 is an oh-so-random issue where the blossoming Ultimate X-Men fight the Shadow King and his thralls, but it's not what you think. Peach Momoko's action-heavy issue hits the mark in terms of pacing and excitement, but the major downside is the complete lack of pretext, meaning, and importance when you find out what's "really" going on.

Ultimate X-Men #14 ramps up the pace and the action, albeit with a distinct lack of purpose or direction. Peach Momoko's coming-of-age, slice-of-life actioner is a weirdly odd fit for Shojo Manga lovers, but the title, as presented, practically orders traditional Marvel fans to stay away.

Ultimate X-Men #15 vaguely loosely moves the plot forward toward what could be a clash between the X-Men and the Children of the Atom. Peach Momoko's meandering script leaves out the important developments between issues for a generally unsatisfying snapshot of a story you never fully get.

Deadpool #1 is a respectable start to a new arc from Alyssa Wong. The plot is original and makes sense, Deadpool's "voice is a solid impersonation of Ryan Reynolds, and Coccolo's art is above average.

Deadpool #2 takes a step back from issue #1 by reverting the titular to silly, obnoxious Deadpool and creating an issue-long fight that ends in a draw. In other words, the tone and personality of the first issue are gone, and the plot goes nowhere.

Deadpool #4 is a terrible comic filled with terrible dialog, nonsensical jokes, a paper-thin plot, and character moments that don't make sense for the characters in question. At least the art is good, so that's something.

Deadpool #5 tries very hard to end the arc with a big finale, but it generates bad humor, a lot of noise, and uninteresting twists. There's no buzz, hype, or excitement; the only saving grace is excellent art with not-so-great coloring.

Deadpool #6 takes Deadpool and Valentine out on date night while Princess and Lady Deathstrike keep the Atelier assassins out of the way. The slapstick humor largely works, and the action is fun. On every level, this issue is back up to the quality from issue #1.

Deadpool #7 concludes date night with energetic fights, terrible humor, and a main character who has almost no agency in his own comic. The longer this series continues in this state, the less reason Deadpool fans will have to keep reading.

Deadpool #8 has an interesting idea at its core about tricking Deadpool into thinking his world is suddenly different. Unfortunately, the idea winds up being a poorly-executed distraction for the issue's lack of story, and the more you think about it, the less this issue makes sense.

Deadpool #9 completes the penultimate issue in the Atelier arc (and Alyssa Wong's run) to a flat finish with interesting fights, solid art, and at least one surprise, but the overall plot lack drama, and Deadpool's escape scene is embarrassingly contrived.

Deadpool #10 brings the series and Alyssa Wong's time on the character to a close with an uncharacteristically decent finale. The tone, wit, humor, and sweetness that made issue #1 a surprise came back just in time to say goodbye. That said, it's clear Wong was never a good fit for the character, so it's time to say farewell and move on.

Captain America #0 is the type of comic you will enjoy if you ignore the absurdity of the setup, the villain's plan, and the clunky dialog. Better yet, simply ignore the words and canonical inconsistencies altogether to focus solely on the action pictures.

Captain America: Symbol of Truth #1 has a great look to it with excellent panel design and colors. However, the story has too many nonsensical plot points that don't make any sense, and the big battle scene contains some of the most head-scratching choreography in recent memory. If this is the best Marvel could do for a Sam Wilson/Captain America #1, the series is already in trouble.

Captain America: Symbol of Truth #2 lays out a complex and deepening mystery, but Sam and Joaquin do everything but ask basic, common sense questions. It's hard to tell if Oyebuchi is writing sam and Joquin as bumbling detectives or if he doesn't understand the basic mechanics of an investigation. Either way, this story has fantastic art covering for a bumbling, stumbling story.

Captain America: Symbol of Truth #3 is a nonsensical series of random events where Sam Wilson investigates a Vibranium smuggling operation with no evidence and little more to go on than third-hand rumors. This issue is the opposite of a smart mystery where nothing is set up and none of the dots connect until the script tells you they connect. At least the art is visually solid.

Captain America: Symbol of Truth #4 is a chaotic, jumbled mess. Characters are suddenly in one part of the world and then another in the blink of an eye. White Wolf's plan involves kidnapping Mexican citizens without rhyme or reason, faking a terrorist attack in Wakanda without rhyme or reason, and smuggling tons of Vibranium out of Wakanda without rhyme or reason. This story is nonsense.

Captain America: Symbol Of Truth #5 starts off with a fight that makes little sense and ends with a whimper instead of a bang. While the art is enjoyable and the individual issue is the most coherent of the run so far, the writer neglected to do basic research about the characters or how to construct a plot.

Captain America: Symbol of Truth #6 starts fresh with a banger of an issue when a visiting Prime Minister is attacked by assassins. The story is the cleanest and most straightforward of anything we've read from Onyebuchi, the art is fast-paced and energetic, and the cliffhanger is full of foreboding and intrigue.

Whatever Tochi Onyebuchi intended to do with the first issue in this new arc has been completely abandoned in Captain America: Symbol of Truth #7. Sam forces his way into a Civil War on foreign soil because he chooses to do so, forgetting the plot elements set up in the previous issue and doing nothing to progress the plot in this issue. The art's great, but the story is an utter miss.

Captain America: Symbol of Truth #11 ends the conflict against White Wolf with an issue-long fight. The choreography and artwork are excellent, and the fight's conclusion feels satisfying.

Captain America: Symbol of Truth #12 continues the Cold War event with fighting in the snow and heroes reacting to enemies, but without a clear plot, direction, or goal, this event is going nowhere fast.

Captain America: Symbol of Truth #13 is an issue-long fight that tries to duplicate the gravitas of Cap and Iron Man's conflict in Civil War but falls miles short. The art looks great, and if you just want to see the Captains fight, you may enjoy this comic. However, Onyebuchi's nonsensical character choices and Silva's wonky fight choreography make this issue a miss.

Captain America: Sentinel Of Liberty #14 ends the series and the creative team's involvement with two plot threads that start a story that will never be finished. Sam Wilson is depressed, and Joaquin might be given an untested cure. Ultimately, there is no point in this issue.

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (2023) repeats last year's annual by turning in a jokey, silly story about nothing when Hallows' Eve tries to break Ben Reilly out of NYC's demon embassy prison. The slapstick tone and cartoonish art are fine in isolation but strangely out of place for the main title. The backup serves as a potentially interesting epilogue to this year's Hellfire Gala, but it gets the details of the Gala wrong.

Bits and PiecesThe Amazing Spider-Man #1 is a decent start to the run by Zeb Wells. Peter starts in a bad place, and things only go downhill. Wells does a nice job of setting up the central conflict, but the lack of information about Peter's absence and the lack of clarity about the twist ending may cause some readers to feel more annoyed and frustrated than curious.

Amazing Spider-Man #2 delivers a solid, almost standard, Spider-Man story as the wall-crawler takes steps to intervene in an escalating mob war. the plotting, pacing, and dialog are all excellent, and Tombstone is the standout character due to the pure intimidation factor. That said, the confusing wow moments are not only not explained, but they're also completely ignored in this issue, leaving a frustrating aftertaste.

Bits and PiecesAmazing Spider-Man reminds readers why tombstone is a formidable and dangerous presence in Spider-Man's world. Snared in Tombstone's trap, readers get interesting details about the villain's history and a clear picture of the lengths he'll go to keep what belongs to him. There are a few art oddities, and the shocking moments from issue #1 are still ignored, but this is a hard-hitting issue overall.

Amazing Spider-Man #4 is a captivating issue that makes you appreciate the pure badassery of Tombstone as a main villain. The art is excellent, the pacing is energetic, the action is powerful, and the twist reveal is a pleasant surprise.

Amazing Spider-Man #5 concludes the arc with a shockingly unsatisfying finale. The multiple bombshells dropped in the first issue are all but forgotten, Romita Jr's art is becoming more distorted with each issue, and any of the dramatic tension Wells successfully created in the last few issues is entirely gone with a relaxed and dialog-heavy chapter. It's hard to imagine a worse possible ending for a first arc from a new creative team.

Amazing Spider-Man #6 is a triple-sized one-shot that celebrates Peter Parker's birthday with a visit from the Living Brain and the OG Sinister Six. The pacing and art are all excellent, but the corny humor overpowers the weighty message behind the Living Brain's quest, and the lack of continuity with issue #5 makes this a #6 issue in name only.

Amazing Spider-Man #7 enters into a new arc with Wells doing what Wells seems to do best, reinvigorate villains. This time, Vulture gets his moment to shine, and it's a doozy. That said, Wells's weakness lies in showing consequences and aftermaths to events you never see or are explained, so Vulture's motivations are suspect. In short, a deadly Vulture battling Spider-Man is a sight to behold, but the poor setup in the writing hinders more than it helps.

Amazing Spider-Man #8 takes a baby step forward by concluding the conflict with Vulture in one, issue-long fight. The fight is brutal, and readers get the reveal of the "new Spidey suit enhanced with Goblin tech, but the fight choreography has a few flaws, and the emoji mask is eye-rolling.

Amazing Spider-Man #9 is a baffling misstep in an increasingly baffling run by Zeb Wells. The issue takes readers back to the Hellfire Gala to flesh out MJ's predicament and eventual salvation, which adds nothing to the current arc and shuffles the resolution with Moria off to the A.X.E. event. But for the art, this issue is pointless.

Amazing Spider-Man #10 takes Peter Parker on an apology tour as the day of judgment has arrived in an A.X.E.: Judgment Day tie-in. (Un)surprisingly, there's almost no Spider-Man in this issue. Spidey doesn't involve himself in the battle, he doesn't help the NYC citizens as panic sets in, and he doesn't use the opportunity to set things right from the mysterious events of issue #1. Peter visits everyone he cares about (except MJ) to let them know how much he cares. Lots of feel-good moments that amount to a whole lot of filler.

Amazing Spider-Man #11 is a serviceable, vanilla, sedate Spider-Man adventure where the Hobgoblin shows up to create problems just when Peter's life is turning around. The art is very good, but the story lacks wow moments or resolution for the long-standing issue #1 mysteries.

Amazing Spider-Man #12 is a solid issue focusing on the emergence of a new Hobgoblin that may or may not be a new Hobgoblin. The personal character moments are very good, and the Spidey action is excellent.

Final Thoughts:Amazing Spider-Man #13 is a quick, serviceable, standard Spider-Man battle that deals with the present threat and plants seeds for a more significant challenge on the horizon. This issue is better than forgettable, but it feels like Wells is simply going through the motions.

Amazing Spider-Man #14 sets up the Dark Web event with a Spider-Man-free issue that focuses entirely on Ben Reilly. The plan Ben devises with Janine, and Madelyne is audacious, but this issue is just planning. Did this need to be an Amazing Spider-Man comic? No, it should have been a one-shot or zero-issue, but at least you get a taste of what's in store for the Dark Web event.

Amazing Spider-Man #15 is an odd tie-in to the Dark Web event with a showdown between Spidey and a regressed Venom. The action scenes are great, but the jokey tone of the book weakens any dramatic impact, and the plot doesn't make a lick of sense.

Amazing Spider-Man #16 continues the Dark Web event with great art and entertaining action. Still, the weirdly jokey tone is a tension killer, the characters don't act like themselves, and the characters' actions don't make any sense. This event is barely out of the gate, and it's already a bizarre misstep.

Amazing Spider-Man #17 abandons any sense of urgency, drama, or stakes for the Dark Web event by turning Peter Parker's forced visit to Limbo into a poorly written Rick & Morty episode. The art is great, and the character designs are interesting, but the plot doesn't make sense.

Amazing Spider-Man #18 is somehow worse than issue #17 because it tries to continue #17's (poorly written) humor while attempting to mix it with hard-hitting, serious moments. Neither the drama nor the humor works, so by trying to do both, you wind up with neither, and the big reveal at the end lands with a mild thud.

Amazing Spider-Man #19 is a jokey, contrived, silly adventure from a guest creative team. If the unbelievable series of coincidences don't trip you up, the snappy Whedon-esque dialog will. Combined with surprisingly inconsistent art and sub-par coloring, this is yet another "skip" in an already troubled run.

Amazing Spider-Man #20 is shockingly bad. From terrible, Whedon-style, snarky dialog to repetitive pee jokes to surprisingly terrible art. Save your money.

Amazing Spider-Man #21 begins the long-awaited arc to explain what happened to Peter and MJ when Zeb Wells took over the title. The action, intrigue, pacing, and dialog are all on point. It's too soon to tell if Wells paid off the wait, but this issue is a good start.

Amazing Spider-Man #22 unveils a major section of the series's mystery surrounding York, PA, and it's a sure bet nobody will guess how it happened. The art, action, pacing, dialog, and plot movement are very good, and major pieces of the mystery (MJ's kids?) have yet to be explained, but at least it's an answer. Whether the answer was worth the wait is TBD.

Amazing Spider-Man #23 spends an entire issue with Peter running around NYC looking for help. The overall plot doesn't progress much, and there aren't any big reveals or wow moments. If you don't mind a transition issue in an arc that took over a year to prepare, this is as good as it gets.

Amazing Spider-Man #24 is the shoe drop Spider-Man fans have been waiting for concerning Peter and MJ's relationship. The technical execution, in terms of writing and art, is fine, but based on the lead-up issues, the outcome is painfully predictable. I suspect a significant number of ASM fans will be very unhappy with this issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #25 tells Mary Jane's side of the story after she was separated from Peter on an alternate Earth. Presented almost entirely as a montage-filled flashback, the bits of information we get only clarify what we already know. If you're looking to be shocked and awed, you'll have to wait until the next issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #26 is an embarrassing failure for the ASM creative team, Marvel editorial, and everyone that had a hand in the "What Did Peter Do?" arc. It would be different if Wells swung for the fences to push for new, bold directions, but instead, we get a basic fight with an inconsequential death and a lot of annoyances that don't get unresolved. Loyal Marvel readers deserve better. A lot better.

Amazing Spider-Man #27 is Zeb Wells's opportunity to make the consequences of Ms. Marvel's death meaningful and get the series back on track. Sadly, Wells falls short of both goals by making Kamala's death a cheap plot device for Peter and Norman's feelings, and the overall tone of the comic is a bizarre mix of seriousness and jokiness.

Spider-Man #28 is a semi-serious, forgettable, and sometimes silly time-waster to take your mind off the horrendous death of Kamala Khan. Doc Ock's upgrade has interesting threat potential, but JJJ is written bizarrely out of character, and the setup is somewhat ridiculous.

Amazing Spider-Man is a step in the right direction for Spidey with a few twists, stakes (for Norman Osborn), and potential. Wells can't help injecting an unnecessarily jokey tone that diminishes the dramatic atmosphere, but the plot is starting to take shape into something possibly worth reading.

Amazing Spider-Man #30 is filled with great art and big action, but Zeb Wells can't figure out when to be jokey or when to be serious, leading to a tonal mess of a comic. Further, Norman's tearful speech about Kamala Khan comes off as a heavy-handed retcon that feels more insulting than emotional.

Amazing Spider-Man #31 delivers bachelor/bachelorette party shenanigans and a disrupted wedding for a comic that's too expensive, has too many pointless backups, and barely manages to setup a new arc. Marvel is asking for too much and giving too little in return on this one.

Amazing Spider-Man #32 goes back to the well (again) for another villain trying to get Norman to revert to his Green Goblin ways. This time Kraven II gets in on the act to top his father's greatest hunt, and the accidental slip at the end leads to intriguing possibilities. The art looks great, and the idea has merit, so it's up to Wells to pay off the concept… for once.

Amazing Spider-Man #33 replays a modern version of Kraven's Last Hunt with Spidey and Kraven II in reversed roles for a decently intense comic. Gleason's art is on point, and the issue ends with a strong cliffhanger. That said, this issue is an almost point-for-point remake of Kraven's Last Hunt, so you're better off reading the original, superior version.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

Amazing Spider-Man #35 brings the third-best copy of "Kraven's Last Hunt" to a close with a decent fight, and everyone returns to their status quo. This arc has no message, neither the characters nor the world changed, and the net effect is a mediocre time filler.

Amazing Spider-Man #36 forgets everything that happened in the last arc and kicks off a silly, jokey team-up adventure with Spider-Man and Rek-Rap to stop a big threat only Rek-Rap can find. The humor only works in one or two spots, the lack of follow-up (especially for Norman) is bizarre, and the brief scene between Silvermane and Hammerhead to set up the coming Gang War event leads you to believe Gang War is going to turn out as well as Dark Web.

Amazing Spider-Man #37 sets up a mildly intriguing mystery but weighs the issue down in impressively corny humor, little action, and a prelude to the Gang War crossover that fails to generate an ounce of momentum or anticipation.

Amazing Spider-Man #38 mercifully puts an end to Rek-Rap's adventure against Re-Po. The story is silly (not in a positive way) and relegates Spider-Man to a sidekick in his comic. Meanwhile, the prelude scenes meant to generate hype for the forthcoming Gang War event are as energetic as a news report about the weather.

Amazing Spider-Man #39 is a surprisingly decent action comic. Wells pits Spider-Man and his allies against an assortment of Gangs across NYC, and the strategic maneuverings by the Gang leaders behind the scenes are intriguing. Wells may have gotten this event off to a rocky start, but this issue shows promise.

Amazing Spider-Man #40 is energetic, action-packed chaos from start to finish. Wells successfully created a scenario that feels big in scale to keep the heroes racing from one fight to the next, but the size lacks depth because we have no connection to most of the gangs or their importance in the grand scheme.

Amazing Spider-Man #41 commences a new gang battle on two fronts when Tombstone fights Wilson Fisk while Beetle (Tombstone's daughter) fights the Rose (Fisk's son). There's plenty of brawling action to get your blood pumping, and the fight appears to be heading towards some consequences, but Wells's bad habit of injecting humor at the wrong time puts a damper on the dramatic tension.

Amazing Spider-Man #42 delivers an action-less setup issue that clears out the lesser gangs to move into the Gang War semi-finals, culminating in a showdown in Central Park. The dialog-only issue is interesting enough, and the story is finally picking up steam, but the big battle ahead is led by two C-tier villains that nobody cares about, making it difficult to care about the outcome either way.

Amazing Spider-Man #43 delivers the action goods in the penultimate entry to the Gang War event. The action is fast-paced, energetic, and exciting. That said, Spider-Man is barely a side character in this event, so readers who aren't fully invested in the success or failure of Beetle and Madame Masque will be left unsatisfied.

Amazing Spider-Man #44 brings the Gang War "event" to a close with the deciding battle in Central Park to establish the new top gangster in NYC. Unfortunately, the battle is mindless, Spider-Man is barely a factor in the outcome, and the mountain of tie-ins turns out to be pointless. Wells and Lowe have turned in worse events, but Gang War fails to be anything more than forgettable.

Amazing Spider-Man delivers a post-Gang War cooldown issue to tie up loose ends, some of which started in ASM and some in other titles, to set the stage for the return of Green Goblin. The character interactions are nice, but the lack of meat on the plot and the lack of setup for Aunt Anna leave a bland aftertaste.

Amazing Spider-Man #47 boasts a few intriguing developments, a sweet date, and a follow-up to the Hobgoblin debacle from earlier in Wells's run. That said, the mostly action-free issue keeps hinting at a mystery without expanding on it, and the trio team-up of Queen Goblin, Chasm, and Hallow's Eve lacks gravitas or drama.

Amazing Spider-Man #48 delivers a blink-and-you'll-miss-it setup and resolution to the fight over the Winkler Device. The motivations for almost every character except Spidey and Betty are implausible at best, and the overall conflict lacks weight. If not for Todd Nauck's excellent art, this issue would be a forgettable throwaway.

Amazing Spider-Man #49 ties into the Blood Hunt event with a mildly entertaining side adventure. The art is decent enough, and Spidey learns a valuable lesson about treating vampires like people, too. However, the story contributes nothing to the Blood Hunt plot, so non-ASM regulars can skip it.

Final ThoughtsAmazing Spider-Man #50 is notable onlyin thatthe Green Goblin has returned, and Peter Parker's ability to fight himis severely hindered. Sadly, Goblin's returnis marredby a lack of setup, hand-waving explanations, and copy/paste plot devices.Getting the Goblin back isagoodthing, but his return deserved better writing than this.

Amazing Spider-Man #51 is a mixed bag of visually appealing art and cool fight scenes, offset by tonally inconsistent writing and a rehashed plot concept that's less than a year old. Die-hard fans of ASM are already hanging on to this title by their fingernails, and this issue does nothing to give them a helping hand.

Amazing Spider-Man #52 looks fantastic, but it's a mess of a story that tries to convince the reader that a rehash of the Spider-Goblin concept is still interesting and that Kamala Khan was a pivotal character in Spider-Man's life for the last two years you just didn't know it. Zeb Wells manages to write a comic that combines all the worst bits of his tenure on the title in a single issue. The score reflects the amazing art quality alone.

Amazing Spider-Man #54 brings the Spider-Goblin saga to a close with solid art and an ending that feels final. Sadly, the script can't find a balance between drama and humor, the sci-mystical elements of the fight can't abide its rules consistently, and the net result reads like a comic that's a goofy mess.

Amazing Spider-Man #55 takes a break from nothing by sending Peter and Shay on a date. That's it. That's the whole issue. Zeb Wells's run may go down as one of the worst in Marvel history, and this issue cinches it. The issue earns two points for getting the printing, stapling, and credits page right.

Amazing Spider-Man #56 is a tentative return to form when Tombstone decides to reassert his dominance in NYC by killing Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Zeb Wells creates a tense, dramatic main story, but the backups are not much more than irritating filler. Is this issue worth the bloated cover price as a "milestone? No, but it's better than most of Wells's run, so take the crumbs that you can.

Amazing Spider-Man #57 ratchets up the stakes, action, and tension when Tombstone makes bail and takes steps to make sure he stays out of jail. Unfortunately, the goodwill created by building momentum is spoiled by a bizarre trap that's too dumb to believe. Couple a bad creative choice with bizarrely inconsistent art, and you get a wildly uneven issue.

Amazing Spider-Man #58 is nothing but a mean, nasty brawl from beginning to end. However, Zeb Wells's action-heavy script lacks anything resembling a plot or meaning. In every way, this arc feels like an excuse to run out the clock on Wells's contract, which certainly doesn't deserve the inflated cover price.

Amazing Spider-Man #59 is a fight and nothing else. There's no plot, no story progression, and no effort put into writing this comic. It's as if Marvel approached John Romita Jr. and said, "We don't have a story, so draw a multi-issue fight." This issue may possibly be the worst example of disrespect for the Spider-Man IP (and Spider-Man fans) in Marvel history.

Amazing Spider-Man #60 ends the series and Zeb Wells's tenure the only way it could, by accomplishing nothing and proving that all sixty issues were a waste of time and money. If you throw out Wells's run, you won't remember it as anything more than a bad dream, and your appreciation of comics will only improve. Goodbye, Zeb Wells. You won't be missed.

Amazing Spider-Man #61 begins a new arc with a new creative team by naming Spider-Man as Dr. Doom's champion to fight and die to protect the Earth, over and over again. Joe Kelly does his level best to turn a predictable concept into a meaningful story, but the entire issue barely rises above mediocre. If nothing else, Ed McGuinness and Mike Farmer's art looks great.

Amazing Spider-Man #62 brings forth the second offspring of Cyttorak, culminating in the second death of Spider-Man for a clunky second chapter in the arc. Joe Kelly tries to get the series back on even footing but stumbles by leaving out multiple plot points and basic context. Well, at least the art is great.

Amazing Spider-Man #63 pits Spider-Man against the third scion of Cyttorak for a time-hopping battle designed to crush Spidey's spirit. Justine Ireland joins the title to deliver an issue with a solid plot at a high level and strong personal moments between Peter and his circle of friends and family. Unfortunately, the main event gets shortchanged with a poor setup, poor resolution, and too little page space in favor of slice-of-life drama.

Amazing Spider-Man 65.Deaths gives readers who are super interested in Phil Coulson's new role as the Angel of Death a peek inside his head. However, if you're interested in Spider-Man or the 8 Deaths arc, writer Derek Landy gives you nothing. In practical terms, this comic is pointless.

Amazing Spider-Man #65 pits Spidey against the next scion of Cyttorak in a challenge that threatens to break his spirit rather than his body. Joe Kelly creates a basketful of Easter Eggs about future outcomes that may or may not happen, wrapped in an emotionally weighty script, and Cafu's artwork is first class. That said, the rules, or lack thereof, for the challenge are getting ridiculous.

Amazing Spider-Man #66 leans on moping and conversations, putting Cyttorak's Challenge on the back burner. Justina Ireland's script goes a long way to portray just how depressed Peter Parker can get, but it does nothing to move the challenge or Peter's journey forward. Thankfully, the art team makes the most out of a series of depressing chats, but it certainly doesn't justify the cover price.

Amazing Spider-Man #67 continues the 8 Deaths of Spider-Man arc by throwing out all the rules, presenting setup information too late, and having Spider-Man sit out the challenge for the third issue in a row. It's unclear which is worse - Justina Ireland's writing or Marvel Editorial's negligence.

Amazing Spider-Man #68 continues to demonstrate that Marvel has no intention of writing a good Spider-Man story anytime soon. Justina Ireland's plot is sloppy and boneheaded, buoyed only slightly by decent art. If Joe Kelly can't turn this ship around when he takes over, Amazing Spider-Man will be Marvel's flagship title no more.

Amazing Spider-Man #69 is an improvement over the past several issues when Cyra becomes the focal character who undergoes a significant journey of growth. That said, Joe Kelly's high-brow explanation of life and love comes off a philosophical hand-waving to make a terrible arc seem meaningful at the last minute. File this one under "too little, too late."

Amazing Spider-Man #70 ends the 8 Deaths arc with big punches, magical spells, and (almost) all the toys going back into the exact same toy box, leaving a bad taste in your mouth. Joe Kelly's finale is a pointless mess, which doesn't bode well for his upcoming tenure as the main ASM writer.

Amazing Spider-Man: Gang War First Strike #1 lights the fuse that ignites the forthcoming Gang War event with plenty of plot progression, surprises, and action. That said, the story is riddled with plot holes and shortcuts that undercut the quality of the story, so you get the impression the creators rushed to get to the war without thinking through how they got there.

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1 catches up with Kamala Khan after her resurrection and life change to start a new chapter as a college freshman while secretly spying on Orchis for the X-Men. Despite a plethora of unanswered questions and plot holes leading up to this first issue, Vellani and Prizada present a spunky Ms. Marvel with heart, charm, and an age-appropriate awkwardness that readers may find endearing. That said, there's not a drop of dramatic tension or urgency considering Kamala's situation, and the entire comic reads and looks technically proficient but safe and mildly dull.

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #2 is where the cracks in the writing team's inexperience show. The creators are trying to blend a slice-of-life/YA comic with the Hellfire Gala fallout, but the tonal mix just doesn't work. You can't go from playing video games in a sleepover to an Orchis drone hunt and have the story make sense.

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #3 keeps the focus on Kamala as a wholesome, sweet, likable character, but the Orchis plot and execution combine for a plot-holed riddled mess. Once a certain new character appears on the page, that appearance all but confirms there's no point to this mini other than to give Kamala her Disney+ powers.

Ultimate Black Panther #1 is the first introduction of the Ultimates version of the character to longtime Ultimates fans. Hill's script is tight, dramatic, and fueled by the onset of war, and Caselli's art, including the new suit, looks fantastic. That said, the point of Ultimates is to create a fresh spin on an old character. On that point, Hill doesn't deliver.

Ultimate Black Panther #2 is a rock-solid Black Panther comic with political intrigue, action, drama, and superhero goodness. That said, the promise of the premise to create a new Black Panther in the Maker's utopian universe feels too much like the regular Black Panther to stand on its own as unique and separate.

Ultimate Black Panther #3 finally begins to deliver on the promise of the premise by showing readers a unique development near Wakanda that could make Vibranium look like kid stuff. On technical execution, the script is rock solid, but the pacing and lack of wow factor result in a tepid comic with potential.

Ultimate Black Panther #4 builds on the atmosphere of paranoia when assassins Moon Knight's assassins are found in the highest ranks of Wakanda. Unfortunately, the plot moves at a snail's pace, only saved by excellent visuals from the art team.

Ultimate Black Panther #5 directs all eyes to the mysterious green orb with a demonstration of its power. Bryan Hill's story has intriguing moments, but the lack of clarity about the green orb diminishes the stakes, and the plodding pace promises this title will continue to tread water for months to come. This comic looks great, and there's a cool idea at its heart, but the arc is too slow, and the hook is too weak.

Ultimate Black Panther #6 is easily the worst issue in the series. Moon Knight's designs on Wakanda are escalating with extreme measures, but the story lacks basic motivations for the characters or urgency. People are doing things without direction and purpose, so all you have is a great-looking comic with stuff happening. Without the basics, all of it is meaningless.

Ultimate Black Panther #7 continues to tread water with great art and one or two interesting clues about the new element, but ultimately, this series is going nowhere fast. Bryan Hill is either out of ideas, or he's been told to hold steady for the Maker's return. Regardless of the reason, this issue is a waste of time.

Ultimate Black Panther #8 continues to take the slow road to somewhere with an issue that looks good doing very little. Bryan Hill is doing his darndest to kill time and fill space waiting for the Maker's return, but at least Stefano Caselli's art gives you something good to look at while you wait.

Ultimate Black Panther #9 gives readers a quick peek at the Ultimate Sorcerer Supreme and does nothing else. Bryan Hill hasn't moved the plot in any meaningful direction in months, so this title has truly become a waste of time and money. Well, the art is pretty great, so that's something.

Ultimate Black Panther #10 introduces readers to the Ultimate Sorcerer Supreme, which could be the best development we've had in months. That said, Bryan Hill's plot continues to go practically nowhere. Therefore, you get great art and the novelty of a cool new derivative character but not much else.

Amazing Spider-Man: Blood Hunt #1 delivers plenty of action, drama, great art, and mysterious developments that hint at one or more conspiracies at work supporting the vampire apocalypse. Unfortunately, several character appearances and plot points either happen off-panel or aren't explained at all, which makes the reading experience unsatisfying.

Blade: Vampire Nation #1 gives readers an informational tour of the inner workings of Dracula's Vampire Nation, wrapped in a bland, low-tension murder mystery. The art is excellent, but the story lacks stakes, urgency, or energy beyond the prologue.

Captain America #750 is an odd mix of stories to end one run, set up the penultimate issue in another, and add a few shorts for good measure. Ultimately, you get a mixed bag of quality in storytelling themes, several aggressive pushes to qualify Sam as a worthy Captain (without addressing the Falcon problem), and generally good art.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #1 brings in all the standard Captain America tropes about a man out of time trying to fit in when a terror threat calls him to action. The art is excellent, the pacing starts slow but picks up steam at a good point, and the thrilling action introduces an intriguing conspiracy mystery.

Final Thoughts:Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #2 unwraps a secret cabal powerful enough to wield power over every other secret organization on Earth, both good and evil. The pacing is excellent, the dialog (except for an inexcusable line that comes off as an insult) is natural, and the plot has plenty of meat on the bone. However, the main villain reveal feels like another "been there, done that" retread that sucks all the creative potential out of the series.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #3 ticks all the technical checkboxes for what you want to see in a Captain America comic. Cap's "voice is right, the action is energetic, and the stakes are high. However, the big revelation hinges on a very large plothole, and the villain's identity is remarkably unoriginal.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #4 gives readers a grand tour of Cap's neighborhood as he asks everyone he knows what they think about America. The cynical, jaded views of America will turn some readers off, but the message isn't the flaw. It's the fact that an entire comic is taken up with Cap figuring out what America means to him. This issue is a waste of space.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #5 may be the best issue in the series so far, relatively speaking. Readers get lots of big action and heroics to hold your attention, and Bucky carries the dramatic weight of the issue when he's confronted with the knowledge of the Outer Circle's influence on his life.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #6 is a single fight scene that doesn't further the story or reveals any information relevant to this arc. It's a filler issue in every sense of the word.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #7 follows up the heartbreaking conclusion to issue #6 with a lot of moping, a little progress, and a big cliffhanger that comes out of nowhere. The art is solid, but the writers are putting too much burden on readers to stay invested in a largely listless and boring story.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #8 is an odd issue that loosely strings seemingly random events together to create a general approximation of a story. Some of the random events make sense, most do not, and the majority of the issue is simply people standing around talking.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #9 appears to be moving the story in a clear direction until it stops and throws everything away for some unknown purpose. Half of the dialog is painfully awkward, half of the art is chaotically confusing, and half of this entire issue appears to be a waste.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #10 looks great and has an exciting premise when you think about it, but the characters lack motivation, and the stakes are entirely absent. You're not given a reason to care about what's happening, so the result is a tedious, lifeless slugfest.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #11 ends the major conflict against the Outer Circle (for now) with a big ol' "meh." Carnero's action sequences are great, but the fight ends with a minor victory that doesn't truly resolve anything. It feels like the conclusion goes soft as a setup for better things in the next event, which is a poor excuse for an ending.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #12 delivers plenty of solid fighting action, good dialog, and quality art to bring the Captains closer to Dimension Z. That said, the omnipotent Outer Circle is suddenly showing cracks under the pressure, which feels like a contrived convenience.

Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty #13 delivers the penultimate chapter in the Cold War event with an issue that invalidates previous actions and jams a collection of disconnected, random scenes together without explanation or sense. At best, this issue is a time waster to get to the finale.

Captain America Finale #1 ends the series as a perfect encapsulation of the series as a whole a little bit of good, a little bit of silly, and a whole lot of uneven mediocrity in between. Carnero's art is the clear highlight of the finale, and the ending ties up most of the loose ends, but it's time to move on to bigger and better things.

Daredevil/Punisher: The Devil's Trigger #1 is a solid albeit flawed buy if you care more about Daredevil wrestling with broken institutions than about actually spending time in Punisher's head, because the book commits to Matt's crisis and delivers a full narrative loop in one chapter. If you are hoping for a balanced co-lead drama or a truly surprising ethical puzzle, the one-sided execution, underdeveloped Punisher, and the strange "no one sees the guy hanging from the ceiling moment drag down the return on your time and money.

If you are already invested in the series and want to see how Matt's faith in the legal system finally breaks, this issue earns a place in your monthly stack. If you are new to the story and hoping for a character-driven two-hander between equals, this is a Daredevil book that uses Punisher as a moral catalyst rather than a fully realized co-lead.

Exceptional X-Men #1 is not the worst or the best new X-title out of the From the Ashes era. Eve L. Ewing's turn on an X-Men title gives you all you need to know about Kitty Pryde's whereabouts with lots of emotion and introspection. That said, the issue lacks wow moments, the one action scene feels forced, and this first issue tells you almost nothing about where this series is headed or why it exists in the first place.

Exceptional X-Men #2 is a slow, boring, and sometimes uncomfortable chapter in the series. Eve Ewing may be too successful in showing Kitty's attempt to live a mundane life, while Carmen Carnero's art is much better than it has a right to be for the script.

Exceptional X-Men #3 continues to lean into a YA version of the New Mutants with mean girl cat fights, teenagers who talk like they live on Twitter, and a complete lack of drama or urgency. Carmen Carnero's art is excellent, and Eve Ewing's plot is predictably moving toward where you expect it to go, but this issue is soft in every sense of the word.

Guardians of the Galaxy #1 picks up in the middle of an odd adventure with a mystery twist that shows promise. The art is excellent, and the predicament of a particular Guardians member is intriguing, but it's too soon to tell if the journey is worth the cover price.

Guardians of the Galaxy #2 is filled with excellent character-building and great art, but the plot is essentially a repeat of the first issue, and the big wow moment from #1 (Grootfall) gets no development at all.

Guardians of the Galaxy #3 gives readers a tidbit about the nature of Grootfall during a contrived Royal Hunt, which is more information that readers got out of the previous two issues. The issue as a whole is weird, but a small clue is better than no clue. Still, the lack of entertainment or answers, tips the scales away from satisfying to frustrating, making this series an increasingly tough sell.

Guardians of the Galaxy #4 is effectively one long scene that shows you what Rocket's been up to for the last three issues. There are some strong emotional beats when Rocket feels Groot's loss, but you don't learn much about Grootfall or make any progress on the plot.

Guardians of the Galaxy #5 is a comic about nothing. The plot could be summarized as the Guardians flying to crash into Grootfall while an irrelevant space battle happens in the background. Nothing of substance happens, so give Kev Walker credit for trying to make nothing look interesting, but this truly is a comic about nothing.

Guardians Of The Galaxy #6 finally gets to the meat of the mystery about Grootfall with solid art and an interesting premise. Unfortunately, the latter half of the issue tries to get existential and fancy but only achieves convoluted nonsense with an unclear resolution.

Guardians Of The Galaxy #7 enters the next phase of Grootfall's development with a new status quo for the Guardians, new promises of galactic conflict, and better potential. Lanzing and Kelly, despite a rocky 6-issue start, seem to have found their footing, and I'm interested to see where the story goes next.

If you love Knull as a character and want every scrap of official backstory and cosmic fine print, Knull #1 gives you exactly that, with top tier visuals to sweeten the medicine. If you are a more casual reader who picks only a few books in a month, this reads like optional homework rather than a can't miss chapter, since it mostly explains things you can pick up elsewhere and never really cuts loose. The art absolutely earns attention, but the script treats that art like a slideshow for a lecture, so the overall package does not justify a tight pull list spot for most people.

Magik #1 sends the titular character to aid a young boy on his quest to fulfill his family's legacy and stop the release of a demonic force. Ashley Allen's inaugural issue delivers good pacing, decent dialog, and plenty of magical action, but the issue lacks a strong hook and clarity of purpose to get readers invested in Magik's journey.

Magik and Colossus #1 is the kind of comic that will not insult your time, but it will not fight very hard to earn a permanent spot in your memory either. If you are a fan of Magik, Colossus, or moody forest horror with clean action and solid art, this is a fair pickup when you have a light week. If your budget is tight and you only want books that feel vital or daring, you can safely skip this and wait for something that pushes the line further. In short, this is a competent side story that will please character loyalists and leave everyone else shrugging.

Marvel Rivals #1 delivers what you would expect from a video game adaptation. You get solid art, plenty of energy, and fast-paced action. That said, Paul Allor's plot and depth are barely there, so don't go in expecting anything more than a Marvel Rivals match on paper.

Namor #1 is an interesting start to a miniseries detailing the early life of Namor and how his upbringing led to his recent downfall and possible redemption. Jason Aaron's script isn't perfect, but the concept is interesting, and the art teams work well together.

Namor #2 is an oddly uneven issue. Jason Aaron begins Namor's quest to bring peace to a fractured nation by witnessing the lows of the common folk and butting heads with one of the kings in a ritual contest that doesn't make much sense. Jason Aaron appears to be building out the complexity of the Seven Seas as an underwater Game of Thrones, but the ideas don't grab you. That said, the art is decent enough to keep your eyeballs engaged.

New Champions #1 is exactly the new amalgam sidekick team book you'd expect. Brimming with a collection of junior heroes who all present as mashups of other Marvel heroes, wrapped in a paper-thin plot and painted with gallons of "Hello, Fellow Kids!" energy, this just might be the YA team book you're looking for.

Nova: Centurion #1 can't pay its own way, let alone earn a spot on a crowded pull list. It's more cosmic busywork than adventure a book that spends narrative capital like spare change and leaves its own hero haggling for relevance. Choose wisely; this issue is strictly for the Nova completionists, not for anyone hoping for the next cosmic epic.

Nova: Centurion #3 is a solid payoff that proves MacKay understands what makes Richard Rider work. A salvage yard industrial showdown against a cosmic horror might sound ridiculous until you read it, and then you realize it's exactly the kind of smart, lateral thinking that separates Earthers from the rest of the galaxy. The comic earns its victory without overstaying its welcome, introduces a new crew member that expands future possibilities, and proves that Nova can compete with heavy hitters on his own terms.